I recently visited the National Museum of African American History in Washington, D.C. As I journeyed from floor to floor, I intentionally took it all in. It was a completely immersive experience that evoked so many complex emotions. From the horrors of slavery to the struggles for civil rights, every exhibit offered a profound opportunity for reflection, education and hope. My only disappointment was that there was not one floor dedicated solely to our contributions in technology and innovation. I left with a longing to see and celebrate the countless Black men and women who came before me and are a constant personal reminder that although Black women only make up 3% of the tech workforce, I belong in this industry.
As we celebrate Black History Month, the accomplishments of African Americans are far-reaching and varied. We’ve contributed to every sector and industry—from activism to arts and entertainment, to innovation and technology that continues to shape our modern world. African Americans have left an indelible mark on the landscape of innovation, be it pioneering inventions that revolutionized industries to groundbreaking discoveries that transformed our understanding of science. It’s essential to recognize and celebrate these remarkable achievements.
Black Brilliance at the Forefront of Innovation
Throughout history, Black people have and continue to overcome systemic barriers and discrimination to make significant strides in various fields, including science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Despite facing immense challenges, our ingenuity, resilience and brilliance have propelled us to the forefront of innovation.
One of the most iconic figures in the realm of innovation is undoubtedly George Washington Carver. Born into slavery, Carver not only gave us the beloved peanut butter, but he was an agricultural chemist whose groundbreaking work with peanuts, sweet potatoes and soybeans revolutionized farming practices and transformed a stagnant agricultural economy in the South. Carver created approximately 518 new products from the crops including ink, dye, soap, cosmetics, flour, vinegar and synthetic rubber.
Necessity is the mother of invention. In 1966, Marie Van Brittan Brown filed a patent for the first home security system. A security risk that her home faced in the neighborhood where she lived in Queens, N.Y., inspired Brown’s invention. Marie, a nurse, and her husband Albert, an electronics technician, didn’t work a standard nine-to-five. The crime rate in their neighborhood was very high. As a result, Brown looked for ways to increase her level of personal security. Her original invention consisted of peepholes, a camera, monitors, a two-way microphone and an alarm button that could be pressed to contact the police immediately. She is also credited with the invention of the first closed circuit television.
Pre-COVID, we were slowly embracing the technology of video conferencing and virtual meetings. Fast forward just four short years and we can’t imagine a life without it. Video conferencing and other internet-based audio/video and text communication applications wouldn’t exist if not for voice over IP (VoIP) technology. Dr. Marian Croak, a Black woman, created VoIP, now holds more than 125 patents in VoIP technology and is currently the vice president of engineering for Google.
We wouldn’t have cellphones if it wasn’t for Jesse Russell. He discovered a way to digitize speech to reduce bandwidth in the 1980s, which played a critical role in cell phone communications. Russell holds numerous patents in broadband wireless networks, including 4G. Mark Dean is credited for inventing the modern day computer while working at IBM.
Dr. Gladys West programmed early computers to better model the actual shape of the earth using data from satellites. This work laid the foundation for modern GPS featuring accurate models of the earth’s surface.
The pivotal roles of mathematicians and engineers Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson in NASA’s space program during the 1960s cannot be overstated, as they calculated trajectories for historic space missions and broke down racial and gender barriers in the process. Dr. Mae Jemison was the first Black woman to travel to space.
Our list is long and these are just a few of our trailblazers. African Americans have made significant contributions to fields as diverse as medicine, telecommunications, renewable energy and beyond. From Fredrick McKinley Jones and his creation of the portable air-cooling unit for trucks carrying perishable food and portable X-Ray machine, Garrett Morgan’s invention of the traffic signal, to Dr. Patricia Bath, an ophthalmologist, and her development of advancements in medical technology, our contributions have transformed countless lives and shaped the world we live in today.
As we reflect on the achievements of African Americans in innovation and technology, it is imperative to recognize that our contributions have often been overlooked or marginalized. Despite facing systemic obstacles and injustices, we have persevered and thrived, leaving an enduring legacy of excellence and innovation.
Innovation knows no boundaries and we embrace the full potential of human ingenuity. As we celebrate Black History Month, let us not only honor the past accomplishments of African Americans, but also commit ourselves to fostering an environment of inclusivity and opportunity in which future generations can continue to innovate, create, inspire and thrive!
This MFP Voices essay does not necessarily represent the views of the Mississippi Free Press, its staff or board members. To submit an opinion for the MFP Voices section, send up to 1,200 words and sources fact-checking the included information to azia@mississippifreepress.org. We welcome a wide variety of viewpoints.
