Jerry Lawson: The Godfather of Video Games
Are you a fan of video games? Then you have Gerald “Jerry” Lawson to thank for all the hours of entertainment you've enjoyed over the years. Lawso...
Are you ready to explore Black excellence in STEAM!
Join us on a fun and exciting journey through Black history for the entire month of February! All month long we will be STEAMing Up Learning about some of the greatest thinkers and inventors in our nation’s history – and they just happen to be Black. Each week for the month of February, we will highlight Black pioneers in the following areas:
- Math Week: February 1-5
- Science Week: February 6-12
- Explorers Week: February 13-19
- Engineering Week: February 20-26
- More Black STEAM Excellence: February 27-28
It is our hope that not only will you uncover some gems in these great pioneers but that you will also tap into some of your own unrealized greatness that connects you and your children to these trailblazers.
We look forward to going on this journey with you. Happy Black History Month!
Alice Parker: The Queen Of Heat
Are you tired of shivering in the cold during the winter? Well, you have Alice H. Parker to thank for making your home a warm and cozy place. Alice...
Elijah McCoy: The Man Who Lubricated The World
Are you ready to meet the engineer who lubricated the world? Meet Elijah McCoy, an African-American engineer and inventor who revolutionized the wa...
Frederick McKinley Jones: The Engineer Who Kept It Cool
Get ready to meet one of the coolest inventors of the 20th century, Frederick McKinley Jones! Born in Cincinnati, Ohio on May 17, 1893, Jones had a...
Mary Jackson: The Engineer Who Broke Barriers
Are you ready to meet a true trailblazer? Meet Mary Jackson, an African American engineer and mathematician who broke barriers and paved the way fo...
Henry T. Sampson: The King of Gamma Rays
Are you ready to meet an engineer who changed the gamma game? Meet Henry T. Sampson, an African-American engineer and inventor who made significan...
Lonnie Johnson: The Engineer Who Made A Splash
Are you ready to meet an engineer who made a splash? Meet Lonnie Johnson, an African-American engineer and inventor who has made significant contri...
Sophia Danenberg: The Queen of the Peaks
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First Black woman in the world to summit Mt. Everest!
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Graduated from Harvard University!
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Studied at Keio University in Tokyo as a Fulbright Fellow!
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Summited 5 peaks in 2005 from Wyoming to Nepal!
James Beckwourth: The Explorer of the American West
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Real life Mountain Man
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Discovered and mapped the Beckwourth Trail (still used today by hikers through the Sierra Nevada Mountains)
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Beckwourth Pass is named after him
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Served as a scout and guide for the U.S. Army
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Became a War Chief of the Crow Nation
James E. West: The Man Behind the Mic Check
Who is James E. West?
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Holds over 250 patents for Microphones production and design
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Worked on a device to detect pneumonia
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His mother was one of the renowned “Hidden Figures”
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Was electrocuted at 8 years old
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Never graduated from college
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Was interested in the Black Panthers
Percy Julian: The King of Synthetic Things
Who is Percy Julian?
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Obtained more than 130 patents
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Created a process to synthesize a drug used to treat glaucoma
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Sold his company Julian Laboratories to pharmaceutical giant Smith, Kline & French for more than $2.2 million in 1961 (approximately $22 million today)
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Grandson of former slaves
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Honored on USPS Black Heritage Stamp in 1993