Learn More About these 38 Scientists for Black History Month

By Amy Cowen on January 23, 2024 8:00 AM

February is Black History Month. Learn more about some of the many African American scientists and engineers who have made important contributions to science history.

Photo collage of eight African American scientists and engineers

Black History Month: 35 Scientists to learn more about!

Update! This post has been updated for 2024 to include additional African American scientists and engineers.

In honor of Black History Month, we highlight 38 African American scientists and engineers who made important contributions to science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). There are many, many scientists who could be included on this list! The list below is just a sampling of noted scientists through history.

To encourage students to learn more about these scientists and to explore related science projects and careers for scientists they find inspiring, for each scientist, we have included a short biographical highlight, links to hands-on science projects related to the scientist's area of study, links to relevant science career profiles, and a link to a biography for further reading.

Note: Educators can use this career worksheet to guide student exploration and reflection about STEM careers.

1. Alice Ball, chemist (1892-1916)

Alice Ball was a chemist who developed an injectable treatment for leprosy. (Biography)

Interested in chemistry and medicine? Learn more with science projects like:
- Why Aren't All Medicines Pills?
- Determine the Identity of an Unknown Chemical Substance
Learn more about related careers: Chemist, Biochemist, Chemical Technician
2. Benjamin Banneker, mathematician and astronomer (1731-1806)

Benjamin Banneker was a mathematician and astronomer. Stories about Banneker include a range of science details, including a clock he carved from wood (possibly the first clock in the U.S.), his successful prediction of the 1789 solar eclipse, and his role as a surveyor when the territory for Washington D.C. was being mapped. Banneker also wrote and published an almanac, yearly, between 1792 and 1797. (Biography)

Interested in projects that combine math and astronomy? Explore science projects like:
- Similar Triangles: Using Parallax to Measure Distance
- Correlation of Coronal Mass Ejections with the Solar Sunspot Cycle
Learn more about related careers: Astronomer, Mathematician, Statistician
3. Patricia Bath, ophthalmologist (1942-2019)

Patricia Bath was an ophthalmologist who developed laser technology used in treating cataracts. (Biography)

Interested in eye science and vision? Learn more with science projects like:
- Now You See It, Now You Don't: A Chromatic Adaptation Project
- Discover the Science Behind Afterimages
Learn more about related careers: Optometrist, Physician
4. Guion Bluford, astronaut and aerospace engineer (1942-)

Guion Bluford was the first African American in space on the Challenger's eighth (STS-8) space shuttle mission (1983). (Biography)

Interested in aeronautics and space science? Explore science projects like:
Learn more about related careers: Astronomer, Aerospace Engineer, Mechanical Engineer, Aerospace Engineering & Operations Technician
5. Otis Boykin, inventor and electrical engineer (1920-1982)

Otis Boykin invented the first electrical resistor, a part now used in many common devices, including computers and televisions. Boykin received his first patent in 1959 for a wire precision resistor. In 1964, he developed a resistor that made the first implantable pacemaker possible. (Biography)

Interested in electronics and engineering? Learn more with science projects like:
- Is It Ripe Yet? Build a Circuit to Detect Ripe Produce
- How to Make a Dimmer Switch with a Pencil
Learn more about related careers: Electrical & Electronics Engineer, Electrical Engineering Technician, Biomedical Engineer
6. Herman Branson, physicist (1914-1995)

Herman Branson co-discovered the alpha helix protein structure and conducted research on sickle cell anemia. (Biography)

Interested in human biology and health? Explore science projects like:
- From Genes to Genetic Diseases: What Kinds of Mutations Matter?
- Drugs & Genetics: Why Do Some People Respond to Drugs Differently than Others?
Learn more about related careers: Physicist, Bioinformatics Scientist, Cytogenetic Technologist
7. William Warrick Cardozo, physician (1905-1962)

William Warrick Cardozo pioneered research on sickle cell anemia and its appearance predominantly in people of African descent. (Biography)

Interested in human health, genetics, and medical research? Explore science projects like:
Learn more about related careers: Physician, Epidemiologist, Genetic Counselor, Cytogenetic Technologist,
8. George Carruthers, astrophysicist (1939-2020)

George Carruthers developed the ultraviolet camera/spectrograph used during the Apollo 16 mission in 1972. (Biography)

Interested in ultraviolet imaging and space science? Explore science projects like:
- Seeing Beyond the Visible: Photography with Near Infrared Illumination
- X-Ray Vision: Seeing Into Space
Learn more about related careers: Physicist, Astronomer, Aerospace Engineer, Mechanical Engineer
9. Emmett Chappelle, biochemist (1925-2019)

Emmett Chappelle used bioluminescence as a way to quantify the presence of bacteria in water and showed how fluorescence can be used to monitor plant health. At NASA, he researched an ATP-fluorescence assay as a way to detect life on other planets. (Biography)

Interested in bioluminescence or agricultural technology? Explore science projects like:
Learn more about related careers: Biochemist, Chemist, Agricultural Technician
10. Jewel Plummer Cobb, biologist (1924-2017)

Jewel Plummer Cobb was a biologist whose research explored the relationship between melanin, skin pigmentation, and skin cancer. Her research included investigating the use of chemotherapy drugs like methotrexate to treat certain types of cancer. Dr. Cobb served as president of California State University at Fullerton from 1981-1990. (Biography; video)

Interested in human biology and medical research? Explore science projects like:
Learn more about related careers: Biologist, Cytotechnologist
11. Margaret Collins, entomologist and zoologist (1922–1996)

Margaret Collins was an entomologist and zoologist. Known as the "Termite Lady" for her extensive research on termites, she co-discovered the Neotermes luykxi species of termites. (Biography)

Interested in insects? Explore science projects like:
- Does Temperature Affect the Rate of Butterfly Development?
- Drawing Circles Around Ants
Learn more about related careers: Zoologist and Wildlife Biologist, Biologist
12. Rebecca Lee Crumpler, physician (1831-1895)

Rebecca Lee Crumpler was the first African American doctor in the U.S., receiving a "Doctress of Medicine" degree from New England Female Medical College in 1864. Dr. Crumpler worked with the Freedmen's Bureau and other groups to provide medical care for freed slaves and others in need. She later wrote A Book of Medical Discourses. (Biography)

Interested in medicine and public health? Learn more with science projects like:
Learn more about related careers: Physician, Health Educator
13. Marie Daly, chemist (1921–2003)

Marie Daly was a chemist who studied the relationship between cholesterol and heart health. (Biography)

Interested in human biology and heart health? Explore science projects like:
- Modeling the Human Cardiovascular System: The Factors That Affect Blood Flow Rate
- A Day in the Life of Your Heart
Learn more about related careers: Chemist, Biochemist, Physician, Cardiovascular Technologist or Technician
14. Christine Darden, mathematician and aerospace engineer (1942-)

Christine Darden was a mathematician and aerospace engineer at NASA. Once she moved from data analysis to Darden does not appear in the Hidden Figures movie, but her story is part of the Hidden Figures book. (Biography)

Interested in aerospace engineering, plane design, and math? Explore science projects like:
- Winglets in Wind Tunnels
- Why Winglets?
Learn more about related careers: Aerospace Engineer, Mathematician
15. Mark Dean, computer engineer (1957-)

Mark Dean is a computer engineer who co-developed the first personal computer. Additional contributions at IBM led to color monitors, the Industry Standard Architecture bus (which allows you to connect devices like printers to computers), and the first gigahertz chip. (Biography)

Interested in computer engineering? Explore science projects like:
- Focusing Signals for a Better Wireless Network
- What Materials Can Block a Wi-Fi Signal?
Learn more about related careers: Computer Hardware Engineer, Computer Software Engineer
16. Charles Richard Drew, physician (1904-1950)

Charles Richard Drew developed ways to use and preserve blood plasma that helped save lives during World War II and later became the model used for blood banks. Known as the "Father of the Blood Bank," Drew is also credited with the first bloodmobile. (Biography)

Interested in human biology and the science of blood? Explore science projects like:
- Blood Clotting to the Rescue
- How Are Antibodies Used for Blood Typing?
Learn more about related careers: Physician, Medical & Clinical Laboratory Technician, Cytotechnologist
17. Victor J. Glover, Jr., mechanical engineer and astronaut (1976-)

Victor J. Glover, Jr. has a background in mechanical engineering and is a Commander in the U.S. Navy. In 2020, Glover headed to the International Space Station (ISS) as pilot and second-in-command on the Crew-1 mission aboard SpaceX Crew Dragon Resilience. (Biography)

Interested in engineering or the ISS? Explore science projects like:
Learn more about related careers: Mechanical Engineering Technician, Mechanical Engineer
18. Sarah Goode, inventor (1855-1905)

Sarah Goode invented a bed that folded up so it could be stored out of the way when not in use. Goode's "folding cabinet bed" was an early version of the Murphy Bed. Goode was one of the first African American women to receive a patent. (Biography)

Interested in inventing new things and solving problems? Explore science activities like:
Learn more about related careers: Mechanical Engineer, Materials Scientist and Engineer, Industrial Engineer,
19. Bettye Washington Greene, chemist (1935-1995)

Bettye Washington Greene, a chemist, was the first female African American chemist to work at the Dow Chemical Company. Her research at Dow focused on latex and polymers. (Biography)

Interested in polymers? Explore science projects like:
Learn more about related careers: Chemical Engineer, Materials Scientist and Engineer, Commercial & Industrial Designer
20. Walter Lincoln Hawkins, chemist (1911-1992)

Walter Lincoln Hawkins was a chemist whose work at AT&T's Bell Laboratories focused on polymers that could increase the lifespan of telephone cables. He developed (with Victor Lanza) a new polymer, used as a cable sheath, that was put into use in the 1960s. (Biography)

Interested in chemistry and polymers? Learn more with science projects like:
- Turn Milk into Plastic!
- Slime Chemistry
Learn more about related careers: Chemist, Materials Scientist and Engineer
21. Alma Levant Hayden, chemist (1927–1967)

Alma Levant Hayden was a chemist. While working at the National Institute of Arthritis and Metabolic Diseases (now the National Institutes of Health (NIH)), Hayden explored the use of paper chromatography as a way to detect steroid substances. Later, at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Hayden used infrared spectrometry in 1963 to disprove the validity of Krebiozen as a cure for cancer. (Biography)

Interested in paper chromatography? Explore science projects like:
Learn more about related careers: Chemist, Chemical Engineer, Chemical Technician
22. Mary Jackson, engineer and mathematician (1921-2005)

Mary Jackson was NASA's first female African American engineer. Jackson was one of the women at NASA whose story was depicted in the Hidden Figures movie. At NASA, she worked on research related to the Supersonic Pressure Tunnel. (Biography)

Interested in engineering and the science of flight? Explore science projects and resources like:
Learn more about related careers: Aerospace Engineer, Computer Programmer Mathematician
23. Mae Jemison, astronaut and aerospace engineer (1956-)

Mae Jemison (also a physician) was the first African American woman in space on the Endeavour space shuttle (1992). (Biography)

Interested in aeronautics and space science? Explore science projects like:
Learn more about related careers: Astronomer, Aerospace Engineer, Mechanical Engineer, Aerospace Engineering & Operations Technician
24. Katherine Johnson, mathematician (1918-2020)

Katherine Johnson was a mathematician whose work at NASA was depicted in the Hidden Figures movie. Johnson calculated the flight path for Alan Shepard (the first American in space) and later checked critical flight path calculations for Apollo 13. (Biography)

Interested in engineering, math, or the science of flight? Explore science projects and problems like:
Learn more about related careers: Mathematician, Aerospace Engineer,
25. Lonnie G. Johnson, nuclear engineer and inventor (1949-)

Lonnie G. Johnson is a nuclear engineer and inventor who developed the popular Super Soaker water gun. Johnson worked on stealth technology for the U.S. Air Force and was a senior systems engineer on NASA's Galileo Project. (Biography)

Interested in stealth technology or inventing new things? Explore science projects like:
- Stealthy Shapes: How to Make an Aircraft Invisible to Radar
- Engineer a Cell Phone Stand
Learn more about related careers: Nuclear Engineer, Nuclear Monitoring Technician, Aerospace Engineer, Industrial Engineer
26. Percy Lavon Julian, chemist (1899-1975)

Percy Lavon Julian was known as the "Soybean chemist" because he synthesized steroids and hormones from soybeans. His research also led to the development of Aer-O-Foam, also called "bean soup," used to put out oil and gasoline fires in World War II. (Biography)

Interested in chemistry? Explore science projects like:
- Cold Pack Chemistry: Where Does the Heat Go?
- The Chemistry of Clean: Make Your Own Soap to Study Soap Synthesis
Learn more about related careers: Chemist, Biochemist, Pharmacist
27. Ronald E. McNair, physicist (1950-1986)

Ronald E. McNair was a laser physicist and a mission specialist for NASA on the STS 51-L Challenger mission that exploded shortly after takeoff in 1986. (Biography)

Interested in laser science and physics? Explore science projects like:
Learn more about related careers: Photonics Engineer, Physicist, Photonics Technician
28. Raye Montague, naval engineer (1935-2018)

Raye Montague was inspired by a childhood experience with a submarine. She was an engineer in the U.S. Navy and is credited as being the first person to design a naval ship, the USS Oliver Hazard Perry, using computer design tools. (Biography)

Interested in ship design, computer-aided design (CAD), and engineering? Explore science projects like:
Learn more about related careers: Marine Architect, Ship & Boat Captain
29. Ruth Ella Moore, bacteriologist and microbiologist (1903-1994)

Ruth Ella Moore was a bacteriologist whose research included tuberculosis, blood types and race, bacteria and cavities, and how gut microorganisms react to antibiotics. (Biography)

Interested in bacteriology and human health? Learn more with science projects like:
- Do Antibiotics Change Your Gut Microbiome?
Learn more about related careers: Microbiologist
30. Willie Hobbs Moore, physicist (1934-1994)

Willie Hobbs Moore was a physicist whose research focused on infrared spectroscopy. She was the first African American woman to earn a doctorate in Physics. (Biography)

Interested in spectroscopy and spectrometry? Explore science projects like:
Learn more about related careers: Physicist, Physics Teacher
31. Joan Murrell Owens, marine biologist (1933-2011)

Joan Murrell Owens studied button coral at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History, where she discovered a new genus (the Rhombopsammia) and three new species. She was later a professor at Howard University. (Biography)

Interested in marine biology and and the study of coral or rock samples? Learn more with science projects like:
- How Old Is That Rock? Roll the Dice & Use Radiometric Dating to Find Out
Learn more about related careers: Marine Biologist
32. Carolyn Parker, physicist (1917-1966)

Carolyn Parker worked on the Dayton Project, part of the Manhattan Project, a U.S. government atomic weapons research project during World War II. (Biography)

Interested in physics and nuclear science? Explore science projects like:
- Watching Nuclear Particles: See Background Radiation Zoom Through A Cloud Chamber
- Particles in the Mist: See Radioactive Particles Decay with Your Own Cloud Chamber!
Learn more about related careers: Nuclear Engineer, Nuclear Monitoring Technician, Nuclear Power Reactor Operator, Mathematician
33. Charles Henry Turner, entomologist and zoologist (1867-1923)

Charles Henry Turner was an entomologist and zoologist. Turner's research proved that insects can hear and led to the phrase "Turner's circling" to describe the way ants return to a nest. (Biography)

Interested in insects? Explore science projects like:
- Go and Stop? Ant Traffic Signals
- Drawing Circles Around Ants
Learn more about related careers: Zoologist and Wildlife Biologist, Biologist
34. Dorothy Vaughan, computer scientist and mathematician (1910-2008)

Dorothy Vaughan was a computer scientist and mathematician. She was part of the group of "human computers" depicted in the Hidden Figures movie. As NASA adopted the use of computers, Vaughan taught herself FORTRAN and became part of NASA's Analysis and Computation Division (ACD). She also worked on the Scout Launch Vehicle Program. (Biography)

Interested in computer programming? Explore code-based science projects like:
- Computer Sleuth: Identification by Text Analysis
- How Easily Can Your Password be Hacked?
Learn more about related careers: Mathematician, Computer Programmer
35. Gladys West, mathematician (1930-)

Gladys West is a mathematician who worked on the processing and analysis of satellite data that helped lead to the development of the Global Positioning System (GPS). (Biography)

Interested in math and data analysis? Explore science projects like:
Learn more about related careers: Mathematician, Statistician, Data Scientist
36. J. Ernest Wilkins, Jr., mathematician and nuclear scientist (1923-2011)

J. Ernest Wilkins Jr. was a mathematician and nuclear scientist who was involved in the Manhattan Project. His work on nuclear reactor physics led to the discovery or co-discovery of phenomena like the Wilkins effect and the Wigner-Wilkins spectrum. (Biography)

Interested in nuclear science? Explore science projects like:
- Watching Nuclear Particles: See Background Radiation Zoom Through A Cloud Chamber
- See Radioactive Particles Decay with Your Own Cloud Chamber!
Learn more about related careers: Nuclear Engineer, Nuclear Monitoring Technician, Nuclear Power Reactor Operator, Mathematician
37. Daniel Hale Williams, surgeon (1856-1931)

Daniel Hale Williams performed the first open-heart surgery on a human in 1893. Dr. Williams also founded Provident Hospital and Training School for Nurses in Chicago, IL in 1891. Provident was the first hospital owned and operated by African Americans. (Biography)

Interested in medicine, cardiology, and heart health? Learn more with science projects like:
- Heart Health: How Does Heart Rate Change with Exercise?
- Make a Heart Rate Monitor
Learn more about related careers: Physician, Cardiovascular Technologist or Technician
38. Granville Woods, inventor (1856-1910)

Granville Woods received more than 50 patents for his inventions. Sometimes called the "Black Edison," Woods' inventions included the "Synchronous Multiplex Railway Telegraph," a device that used static electricity to send messages between trains, and the "telegraphony," a combination telephone and telegraph that could send messages by voice or Morse code. (Biography)

Interested in inventing new things? Explore science activities and projects like:
Learn more about related careers: Electrical & Electronics Engineer, Radio Frequency Engineer, Mechanical Engineer,

STEM Career Worksheet

To encourage students to learn more about these scientists and to explore related careers in science, technology, engineering, and math, use our free STEM Career Worksheet along with this post.

If you use the "Learn More About these 38 Scientists for Black History Month" resource and career worksheet with students, we would love to hear your feedback. You can email us at scibuddy@sciencebuddies.org with your comments or story.

Diversity in STEM

To help students see themselves with a future in STEM and to broaden understanding of science history, it is important for students to learn about a diverse range of scientists and engineers. This includes celebrating the stories of women, African American, Asian American Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, Hispanic, and Native American scientists and engineers, scientists with disabilities, and other scientists from around the world.

Images: public domain or fair use, with exception of:
Herman Branson (AIP Emilio Segrè Visual Archives, Physics Today Collection)
Mark Dean (Min H. Kao Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Tennessee) Bettye Greene (Science Institute)
Walter Lincoln Hawkins (AAREG)
Ruth Moore (Howard University - American Society for Microbiology, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikipedia)
Joan Murrell (Digital Howard at Howard University, Smithsonian Institution)
J. Ernest Wilkins, Jr. (Dan Dry, CC BY-SA 3.0)

Links to books at Amazon.com are affiliate links.

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Learn More About these 38 Scientists for Black History Month

1. Alice Ball, chemist (1892-1916)

2. Benjamin Banneker, mathematician and astronomer (1731-1806)

3. Patricia Bath, ophthalmologist (1942-2019)

4. Guion Bluford, astronaut and aerospace engineer (1942-)

5. Otis Boykin, inventor and electrical engineer (1920-1982)

6. Herman Branson, physicist (1914-1995)

7. William Warrick Cardozo, physician (1905-1962)

8. George Carruthers, astrophysicist (1939-2020)

9. Emmett Chappelle, biochemist (1925-2019)

10. Jewel Plummer Cobb, biologist (1924-2017)

11. Margaret Collins, entomologist and zoologist (1922–1996)

12. Rebecca Lee Crumpler, physician (1831-1895)

13. Marie Daly, chemist (1921–2003)

14. Christine Darden, mathematician and aerospace engineer (1942-)

15. Mark Dean, computer engineer (1957-)

16. Charles Richard Drew, physician (1904-1950)

17. Victor J. Glover, Jr., mechanical engineer and astronaut (1976-)

18. Sarah Goode, inventor (1855-1905)

19. Bettye Washington Greene, chemist (1935-1995)

20. Walter Lincoln Hawkins, chemist (1911-1992)

21. Alma Levant Hayden, chemist (1927–1967)

22. Mary Jackson, engineer and mathematician (1921-2005)

23. Mae Jemison, astronaut and aerospace engineer (1956-)

24. Katherine Johnson, mathematician (1918-2020)

25. Lonnie G. Johnson, nuclear engineer and inventor (1949-)

26. Percy Lavon Julian, chemist (1899-1975)

27. Ronald E. McNair, physicist (1950-1986)

28. Raye Montague, naval engineer (1935-2018)

29. Ruth Ella Moore, bacteriologist and microbiologist (1903-1994)

30. Willie Hobbs Moore, physicist (1934-1994)

31. Joan Murrell Owens, marine biologist (1933-2011)

32. Carolyn Parker, physicist (1917-1966)

33. Charles Henry Turner, entomologist and zoologist (1867-1923)

34. Dorothy Vaughan, computer scientist and mathematician (1910-2008)

35. Gladys West, mathematician (1930-)

36. J. Ernest Wilkins, Jr., mathematician and nuclear scientist (1923-2011)

37. Daniel Hale Williams, surgeon (1856-1931)

38. Granville Woods, inventor (1856-1910)

Further Reading

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STEM Career Worksheet

Diversity in STEM

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