Related Black History Biographies: 1  Jackie Robinson 1919-1972 The first African American in the twentieth century to play major league baseball, Jackie Robinson was undoubtedly one of... 2  Cool Papa Bell 1903-1991 Cool Papa Bell was a baseball player who was renowned for his speed and prowess on the field.
Still, it's not a huge industry. There are between 5,000 and 10,000 blacksmiths in the U.S., and of those, only about 10 percent do it professionally â they make things like custom railings or artistic hardware for homes. Back in the classroom, Scott Higgins is learning to punch a hole in metal.
The tools of the blacksmith varied from time to time and from place to place. They were generally divided into three groups. The first is the hearth with its bellows, water trough, shovels, tongs, rake, poker, and a water container for damping down the fire and cooling objects. The second group consists of the anvil, sledges, tongs, swages, cutters, chisels, and hammers.