KBLOG 43. African American Scientists, Inventors and Engineers You and Your Students Should Know

The Challenge:

There are many scientists, inventors and engineers we never hear about. Products, ideas and inventions we encounter everyday should be associated with the people who originated those products, ideas and inventions, who are they? We are aware through media, teachers and schoolbooks of a few great innovators who are the favorites (Edison, Tesla, Einstein etc.) or the people we think are the most important for students to know about. We have left out many great people and potential role models for us and our students. Let us face it for a long time we have introduced, discussed and recognized or put on a pedestal mostly Caucasian male scientists. Progress towards making people aware of the diversity of great contributors of innovations has been made, but we are only scratching the surface.

A Solution:

In this KBLOG I have included links to books about African Americans who have had major impacts in the STEM fields. This will be of interest to those who want to broaden exposure and introduce new role models for students.

Resources:  

Fascinating Books for young people about African American Inventors and Scientists

1. Garrett Morgan: Historically by Maria Mas

2. What Color Is My World? The Lost History of African-American Inventors by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

3. Katharine Johnson (You Should Meet) by Thea Feldman

4. Whoosh! Lonnie Johnson’s Super Soaking Stream of Inventions by Chris Barton

5. What Are You Figuring Now? A Story about Benjamin Banneker by Jeri Ferris

6. Mae Among the Stars by Roda Ahmed

7. National Geographic Readers: George Washington Carver by Kitson Jazynka

8. Vision of Beauty: The Story of Sarah Breedlove Walker by Kathyrn Lasky

9. What If There Were No Black Folks? A Story About African-American Inventors and Pioneers by Toni Abasi Hill

10. Hidden Figures: The True Story of Four Black Women and the Space Race by Margot Lee Shetterly

11. The Man Who Invented the Lawn Mower: And Other Inspirational Black American Inventors and Their Inventions by Christopher Davis, Jr

12. All Aboard! Elijah McCoy’s Steam Engine by Monica Kulling

13. The Doctor With an Eye for Eyes: The Story of Dr. Patricia Bath by Julia Finley Mosca

14. Lewis Latimer: Black Americans of Achievement by Winifred Latimer Norman

15. Great Black Heroes: Five Brilliant Scientists by Lynda Jones

16. The Woman Who Invented Weaving by Christopher Davis, Jr

17. Gary and the Great Inventors: It’s Laundry Day! by Akura Marshall

18. Black Pioneers of Science and Invention by Louis Haber

19. Look What Brown Can Do! by T. Marie Harris

20. Have You Thanked an Inventor Today? by Patrice McLaurin