African American Scientists and Engineers
The mark of bright African Americans is all over American society, from communications to agriculture. It’s even more amazing to think about these brilliant inventions and scientific discoveries when you consider the repression that African Americans experienced well into the 20th century; the social ramifications of these policies can still be felt today. And despite all the obstacles that they have faced, African Americans have made a deep and the significant impact on America’s scientific history.
19th Century
The 19th century was a time when African Americans made great impacts on the American way of life. Did you know that when you ask for “the real McCoy,” you are referencing a black inventor from the 19th century, Elijah McCoy? McCoy, born in 1844, had over 50 patents to his name, but his catchphrase came from his most famous invention: the automatic oil cup. The cup would automatically drip oil onto a train’s moving parts, which allowed the train to continue running without having to stop for more oil. Engineers began asking for McCoy’s cup by name, as his design was superior to many other imitations appearing on the market.
And were you aware that we wouldn’t have the light bulb, if it weren’t for African American inventor Lewis Lattimer? Lattimer worked in the laboratories of Alexander Graham Bell and Thomas Edison and was responsible for the inventing the carbon filament, an important component of the light bulb. Lattimer also wrote a book about electricity and lighting called "Incandescent Electric Lighting: A Practical Description of the Edison System."
20th Century
The 20th century was also full of influential African American scientists and engineers. George Washington Carver was a famous agricultural chemist, who lived from 1865-1943. Carver was a chemist whose work also had an important social mission: helping poor Southern farmers. Carver performed research on peanuts and sweet potatoes to improve their quality, and he taught farmers how to rotate their crops so as to improve the soil. He also developed modern uses for the crops available to poor farmers—he even invented peanut butter!
The work of another African American engineer is still present in our daily life, every time we take our car out for a spin. Garret Morgan, who lived 1877-1963, invented the stop light. After realizing that the current stop signals with only stop-and-go commands were dangerous, he created a new stoplight that incorporated a caution signal (the precursor to our current yellow signal), and a signal for crossing pedestrians.
Other important engineers and scientists during this time period included Madam C.J. Walker, inventor of a hair-growing cream and the first female African American millionaire, and Otis Boykin, who invented electronic devices that were used in everything from pacemakers to computers.
21st Century
Dr. Patricia E. Bath has become one of the most famous female African American scientists of the 21st century. Bath’s most famous work includes inventing the Laserphaco Probe, which can remove cataracts and relieve blindness in patients. Ms. Bath has spent her entire life breaking new ground: At UCLA Medical Center, she was the first female African American surgeon, and she was the founder of the American Institute for the Prevention of Blindness.
While many African American breakthroughs in science and engineering have alleviated social ills, others have been a little less serious. Lonnie G. Johnson, an African American scientist and inventor, was responsible for developing the Super Soaker gun in 1982. With more than 40 patents and even an astronaut training recommendation under his belt, Johnson actually came up with the Super Soaker while working at home on a heat pump.
Another important 21st century scientist is Neil DeGrasse Tyson, an astrophysicist who studies star formation and the structure of the Milky Way. Tyson also worked on committees studying the future of the aerospace industry and Mars exploration under President George W. Bush.
Additional Resources
- A Modern History of Black Mathematics: Here you’ll find a timeline of African Americans in modern mathematics. There are important discoveries from 1800 to today.
- Inventor Hall of Fame: Browse around this listing of awesome inventors, which includes George Washington Carver, among others.
- The African American Search for Truth and Knowledge: Want to read more detailed biographies of some of the most famous black scientists? Check this out.
- Forgotten Genius: PBS has this multi-part series on forgotten African American scientist Percy Julian.
- Minorities in Science: Looking for a bibliography of good sources on the presence of minorities in the sciences? The Louisiana State University library system has you covered.