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STEM is the Future – and So Are You!
Since 1990, STEM careers have grown by an incredible 79%, opening exciting opportunities in science, technology, engineering, and math. But while the field is growing, there’s still work to be done when it comes to representation.
Today, African Americans make up 11% of the U.S. workforce but only 9% of those in STEM roles, according to the Pew Research Center. That means your voice, your ideas, and your talents are more needed than ever.
In celebration of Black History Month, we’re shining a light on trailblazing Black inventors and innovators who have made a lasting impact through STEM. Their stories prove that with curiosity, creativity, and determination, you too can help shape the future.
1. Dr. Marie M Daly
Dr. Marie M Daly was the first African American woman to earn a Ph.D. in chemistry in the United States. She used her degree to become a biochemist. Much of her work contributed to what we know today about high cholesterol and its relation to heart disease. She also became a professor and taught biochemistry courses at Albert Einstein College.
2. Vivien Thomas
Vivien Thomas started his career by working in a laboratory at Vanderbilt University where he learned many complex surgical techniques. While he worked at this lab, he was paid as a janitor even though he was doing amazing doctoral research. Thomas persevered and formulated a surgery that would successfully help save the lives of infants who were born with a heart defect that sends blood past their lungs. He went on to become the director of Surgical Research Laboratories at John Hopkins.
3. Dr. Warren Washington
Warren Washington received his Ph.D. in meteorology from Pennsylvania State University and is currently a senior scientist at NCAR (National Center for Atmospheric Research). He is known for being an expert in climate research and has developed multiple computer climate models that show the impact of human activities on our future climate. He won the National Medal of Science in 2009.
4. Katherine Johnson
Katherine Johnson worked for NASA as a “human computer” where she would solve difficult math problems. She asked lots of questions and became more involved in other programs. Johnson then joined another task force in NASA where she calculated the path for the Freedom 7, the spacecraft that put the first U.S astronaut in space. She also was a huge part of the mission that successfully planned the first moon landing.
5. Lyda Newman
Lyda Newman was an inventor who patented a new type of hairbrush that was specifically for African American hair. It has synthetic bristles instead of the typical animal hair. Her invention made it cheaper and quicker to manufacture hair brushes. She was only the third African American woman to ever receive a patent. She also was a significant women’s rights activist.
6. Bessie Blount Griffin
Bessie Blount was one of very few African American physical therapists in the late 1940’s. She used interpretive dance to help with her clients advance in therapy. After WWII, many veterans needed physical therapy and many were amputees. Blount used more innovative ways to help these patients by teaching them to use their feet. Another major accomplishment of hers was getting a patent for her invention the Portable Receptacle Support. This apparatus was a tube was inserted into the patient’s mouth, and upon biting down on it, a small portion of food was pushed into his mouth.
7. George Washington Carver
George Washing Carver, one of the most well-known African Americans in STEAM, was born into slavery but later became the first African American student at Iowa State Agricultural College. He is best known for devising about 300 uses for the peanut, including flour, paste, paper, soap, shaving cream, and even medicines.
8. Alan Emtage
Alan Emtage was a systems administrator at McGill University. In 1989 he conceived of and implemented Archie, the world’s first Internet search engine. Many people refer to Archie as the Great Great Grandfather of Google. Emtage work with search engines and the internet, paved the way for many of the systems and processes we use when searching the internet today.
9. Frank Greene
Frank Greene was an Electronics Officer in the United States Air Force. During his time in the Air Force he helped develop high performance computers for the National Security Agency. After the Air Force, Greene developed a high speed computer memory system. He received a patent for the fastest memory chip (at the time). He then continued to share his expertise by teaching electrical engineering and computer science classes at multiple universities.
10. Nola Hylton
Dr. Nola Hylton received a BS in Chemical Engineering and a Ph.D. in Physics. She played an essential part in the development of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) research in the detection, diagnosis, and staging of breast cancer. She has become an international leader in the field of breast MRI. Hylton is currently a professor in Residence in the Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging as well as the Director of the Breast Imaging Research Group at the University of California in San Francisco.
Inspiring the Next Generation of STEM Leaders
While many of these trailblazing African American men and women were the first in their fields, they certainly won’t be the last. A new generation of young innovators is rising – and the future is full of possibility.
If your child is curious about science, technology, engineering, or math, now is the perfect time to nurture that passion. At Engineering For Kids, we help young minds explore, experiment, and grow into tomorrow’s STEM leaders — one fun project at a time.
Discover how Engineering For Kids can spark a lifelong love of innovation.