George Washington Carver still seems to be the go-to when schools trot out Black scientists. But our history has so many more groundbreaking thinkers! When will the history books include these five names?
#1: Percy Lavon Julian: Chemist
Don’t sleep on this pioneer of chemical synthesis who found key components of medicines derived from plants.
#2: Marie Maynard Daly: Biochemist
The first Black woman in the U.S. to earn her Ph.D. in chemistry in 1921, she created an impact by making significant discoveries in multiple fields, including the relationship between cholesterol and hypertension.
#3: Walter Lincoln Hawkins: Chemist and Engineer
An orphan who struggled in childhood, Hawkins is widely regarded as a creator of polymer chemistry. His work made possible much of the high-speed communication we use every day!
#4: Annie J. Easley: Rocket scientist, computer scientist, mathematician
She headed the team that developed the Centaur rocket stage software, while paving the way as one of the first Black computer scientists at NASA!
#5 - Ernest Everett Just: Biologist
He wasn’t just some good-looking brother. Without Just, we might not have known the impact of ultraviolet radiation on living cells. He was a pioneer who first explored the physiology of the development of whole cells.
If we continue to do our ground-breaking, innovative work, then we can change the world. How are you using your brilliant mind to make positive changes?