Black Scientists We Should Know

Come celebrate African-American scientists whose work revolutionized the world in which we live. From Benjamin Banneker’s clocks and irrigation systems in the late 18th century to the calculations for the trajectories of space flights by Katherine Johnson in the mid-20th century, this program explores some of the accomplishments of ten remarkable men and women who should be household names. Biologist Ernest Just, the 23-year-old Alice Ball who developed a treatment for leprosy, Gladys West who created GPS systems, and Mae Jemison who was the first American Black woman in space are among the other scientists we meet.

Recommended Media

Web Resources: Print

Web Resources: Video

10 Scientists: Web Resources

1. BENJAMIN BANNEKERVideo Biography: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DpfY66ccoFUBiography: https://www.whitehousehistory.org/benjamin-bannekerOverview: https://www.whitehousehistory.org/benjamin-banneker 2. GEORGE WASHINGTON CARVERRare Film Footage (National Archives): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPGlDG456VEVideo Biography (Iowa PBS): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3CVmluYFtIBiography: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Washington_CarverBiography: https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/george-washington-carver
3. ERNEST EVERETT JUSTBiography: https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/just-ernest-everett-1883-1941/Biography: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernest_Everett_JustVideo Overview/Biography: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E64u3QKk5UcBiography: https://www.biography.com/scientists/ernest-everett-just 4. ALICE BALLBiography: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alice_BallVideo Overview (Leprosy Cure): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dymJcBkGlbsBiography: https://www.biography.com/scientist/alice-ballOverview Article: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-trailblazing-black-woman-chemist-who-discovered-a-treatment-for-leprosy-180979772/ Overview: https://scientificwomen.net/women/ball-alice-121 5. PERCY JULIANBiography: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Percy_Lavon_JulianPercy L. Julian and the Synthesis of Physostigmine (Chemistry Landmarks): https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/education/whatischemistry/landmarks/julian.htmlPBS Biography “Forgotten Genius” (90 minutes): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSq__sdYNNkVideo Biography (12 minutes): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37lyMoh0NnoOverview: https://www.sciencehistory.org/education/scientific-biographies/percy-lavon-julian/ 6. KATHERINE JOHNSONVideo Biography/Overview (NatGeo): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4j_LpKzcZQVideo Biography/Overview (NASA): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKxgieXQ82wBiography: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Katherine-Johnson-mathematicianOverview: https://www.nasa.gov/centers-and-facilities/langley/katherine-johnson-biography/ 7. MARIE MAYNARD DALYBiography: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marie_Maynard_DalyVideo Overview (CUNY TV): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixtjbHDM-v8Biography: https://www.sciencehistory.org/historical-profile/marie-maynard-dalyOverview: https://www.acs.org/education/whatischemistry/landmarks/daly.html 8. GLADYS WESTBiography: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gladys_WestOverview: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2020/nov/19/gladys-west-the-hidden-figure-who-helped-invent-gpsInterview (US NAVY): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=McIemoQWv6410 Things You Might Not Know: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SaNv9waZTLkAssociated Press Overview: https://apnews.com/article/2dee50a4b3be4564b417f7f569b38ba4
9. JAMES EDWARD WESTBiography: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Edward_Maceo_WestVideo (AIP Interview): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95EFhuRyAe0Biography: http://www.cpnas.org/aahp/biographies/james-edward-west.htmlOverview: https://www.invent.org/inductees/james-e-west 10. MAE JEMISONOverview: https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/mae-jemison Biography: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mae_JemisonVideo Biography: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWxGAogqr4MNOVA Secret Lives of Scientists and Engineers (In-person): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0vGDfuWhfI&t=27s

Other Important Black Scientists