Black Trailblazers in STEM - A Black History Month Spotlight
As part of Black History Month, we are spotlighting some of the amazing Black trailblazers of both past and present, leaving their mark in American history and paving the way for the future.
Due to systemic racism and inequitable access to opportunities, the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) have historically seen significant underrepresentation of BIPOC talent. Yet, each of these Black leaders has built a name for themselves while also contributing to the conditions that make STEM more accessible to future generations.
If you're looking for Black leaders to spotlight as your company celebrates Black History Month, look no further. This post is part of a series spotlighting several Black leaders whose achievements and legacies have had a significant impact on our lives and deserve to be acknowledged.
This week, we feature leaders in STEM.
Dr. Percy Julian
Percy Julian was a pioneering chemist who was not allowed to attend high school due to a lack of schools open to Black students but went on to earn his Master’s degree from Harvard University and his Ph.D. at the University of Vienna in Austria. His research at academic and corporate institutions led to the chemical synthesis of drugs to treat glaucoma and arthritis, as well as the development of medicinal drugs like cortisone, steroids, and birth control pills. After fighting his way to the forefront of chemical research, Julian established his own laboratory and founded Julian Research Institute, a nonprofit organization that he ran for the rest of his life. In 1973, Julian became the first Black chemist elected to the National Academy of the Sciences. Julian confronted racism, inequality and numerous challenges to become one of the most influential chemists in American history.
“I have had one goal in my life, that of playing some role in making life a little easier for the persons who come after me.”
George Washington Carver
George Washington Carver was an agricultural scientist and inventor who developed hundreds of products using peanuts (though not peanut butter, as is often claimed), sweet potatoes and soybeans and changed the ways of farming with his research on soil chemistry and plant health. Born into slavery a year before it was outlawed, Carver left home at a young age to pursue education and became the first African American ever to earn a Bachelor of Science degree and he went on to also earn his Master’s degree in agricultural science from Iowa State University.
He would go on to teach and conduct agricultural research at Tuskegee University alongside Booker T. Washington for decades, and soon after his death his childhood home would be named a national monument — the first of its kind to honor a Black man, and his research and fame live on in the National Inventors Hall of Fame.
“Fear of something is at the root of hate for others, and hate within will eventually destroy the hater.”
Dr. Marie M Daly
Pioneering biochemist Dr. Marie Maynard Daly became the first Black woman in the U.S. to earn a Ph.D in chemistry. After completing her Ph.D. at Columbia University, Daly taught and conducted research. She has made several important scientific contributions to the world of medicine about the human body including groundbreaking research on the mechanics of heart health and the causes of heart attacks.
In addition to her research work, Daly also taught biochemistry courses. Recognizing the importance of her own career path, Daly championed efforts to get students of color enrolled in medical schools and graduate science programs. In 1988, she started a scholarship, in honor of her father, for minority students who want to study science at Queens College.
“You become courageous by doing courageous acts...Courage is a habit.”
Dr. Jessica Watkins
This April, Watkins is set to become the first Black woman to live and work on the International Space Station for an extended mission. She will arrive there onboard a SpaceX capsule and then spend six months on the ISS as part of NASA's Artemis program, a multi-billion dollar effort designed to return humans to the surface of the moon in 2025.
Of the roughly 250 people who have boarded the ISS, fewer than 10 have been Black. Other Black women have paved the way within NASA and Watkins is making history as the first Black woman to board the space station. NASA selected Watkins for its astronaut program in 2017. She holds a bachelor's degree in geological and environmental sciences from Stanford University and a doctorate in geology from the University of California, Los Angeles.
“We are building on the foundation that was laid by the Black women astronauts who have come before me.”
This list is non-exhaustive and there are so many members of the Black STEM community that have been integral to creating the lives that we all are accustomed to. We encourage you to celebrate these trailblazers and their contributions this Black History Month and beyond.