The criterion for this list was the impact of the scientific contribution. As a result, there was a predominance of North Americans, justified by the strong educational structure of the USA. Also, obviously, the list of black people who contributed to science is much longer than fits here. Understand this matter as an introduction to the subject.
1. Otis Boykin (1920-1982)
Country – USA (Texas)
Profession – electronic engineer and inventor
In 1961, Boykin patented an electrical resistor capable of withstanding large changes in temperature and pressure. Innovative, the piece was even used by the US Army. But, in addition, Boykin was responsible – and much recognized – for improving the pacemaker, adding an electronic control to the mechanism. This improvement in the device saves lives to this day.
2. Charles Drew (1904-1950)
Country – USA (Washington DC)
Profession – doctor
Dead for 67 years, Charles Drew still saves thousands of lives daily. His research in the area of blood preservation and transfusion helped him to develop large-scale blood banks in the 1940s. Thanks to this, he was named the first director of the blood bank of the Red Cross humanitarian organization.
3. Gerald Lawson (1940-2011)
Country – USA (New York)
Profession – electronic engineer and inventor
He changed the video game market when he became chief engineer of the video game division of Fairchild (a technology company). There, in 1976, he developed Channel F, the first programmable console in history. In addition to allowing the use of cartridges (something unheard of until then), the device also debuted a fundamental mechanism for gamers: the pause.
4. Percy Lavon Julian (1899-1975)
Country – US (Alabama)
Profession – chemical
Working on the synthesis of plant-based medicines, it was important for the treatment of degenerative nerve diseases. For example, by synthesizing physostigmine for the treatment of glaucoma, in 1935, he achieved positive advances against Alzheimer’s disease. In addition, he developed remedies for diseases such as cancer, anemia, asthma and allergies.
5. Elbert R. Robinson
Country – USA (state unknown)
Profession – inventor
Little mentioned in history, Robinson was responsible for patenting the electric tram in the USA in 1893 – although he was not the original creator of the invention. However, he revolutionized rail transport by designing a new type of wheel, which produces less friction and is much safer and more durable. Widely effective, it is still used today in locomotions of the genre.
6. Phillip Emeagwali (1954-)
Country – Nigeria (Akure)
Profession – mathematician and computer scientist
A genius and already voted one of the greatest Africans of all time, Emeagwali connected 65,000 computers via the Internet in 1998. The devices working together gave rise to a “supermachine” capable of carrying out billions of calculations per second. Such processing power was used to optimize US oil exploration.
7. Patricia Bath (1942-2019)
Country – USA (New York)
Profession – ophthalmologist and inventor
In the 1980s, Bath made ophthalmology history by inventing a revolutionary device for the laser treatment of cataracts. Entitled Laserphaco, the device made the medical procedure less painful and more accurate. As a result, even people who had not been able to see for years due to the disease could be treated and cured.
8. Katherine G. Johnson (1918-2020)
Country – USA (West Virginia)
Profession – space scientist, physics and mathematics
With relevant contributions to North American space exploration, Johnson calculated the trajectories, launch windows and emergency returns of important NASA missions, such as the Apollo 11 flight to the Moon, in 1969. A key part of the agency’s operations, the scientist had the beginning of his legacy portrayed in the film Stars Beyond Timereleased in 2016.
9. George Washington Carver (1860-1943)
Country – USA (Missouri)
Profession – botanical and biochemical
A reference in US agriculture, Carver created alternative crops for planting in the post-Civil War south of the country (such as peanuts, soybeans and sweet potatoes), always aiming at soil conservation. The initiative helped the poorest farmers (mainly former slaves) and ended their dependence on cotton planting, which had already harmed their land for years.
10. Mark Dean (1957-)
Country – USA (Tennessee)
Profession – computer engineer and inventor
Working at IBM, Dean created the Industry Standard Architecture (ISA), which allowed computers to connect to peripherals (such as a printer). He was also part of the team of engineers and designers that created, in 1981, the company’s first personal computer (the IBM PC), having three of the machine’s nine original patents.
MORE 10
Because a top 10 didn’t cover everyone we needed to mention
Benjamin Banneker (USA) – Agronomist and astronomer, he was a reference in the publication of almanacs for agricultural work.
Ernest Just (USA) – Biologist, recognized the fundamental role of the cell surface in the development of organisms.
Marie Maynard Daly (USA) – First African American to have a PhD in Chemistry. She has contributed to studies on the effects of hypertension, arteriosclerosis, and aging on arteries.
Garrett Morgan (USA) – Invented the gas mask.
Madam CJ Walker (USA) – Built a cosmetics empire in the US by developing homemade beauty products.
Norbert Rillieux (USA) – Chemical engineer and inventor, he lowered the costs of sugar production in the USA by creating a multiple evaporator for processing.
Lewis Latimer (USA) – Electrical engineer and inventor, made possible the economical use of electric light throughout the world.
Frederick McKinley Jones (USA) – Created the first mechanical refrigeration system for trucks.
Dotsevi Yao Sogah (Ghana) – Chemist, developed new methods of synthesizing polymers and other petroleum compounds.
Thomas Odhiambo (Kenya) – Entomologist, founded the International Center for Insect Physiology and Ecology.
SOURCES Books Geniuses of Humanity – African and Afro-descendant Science, Technology and Innovationby Carlos Eduardo Dias Machado and Alexandra Baldeh Loras, and Black Inventors – Crafting Over 200 Years of Success, by Keith C. Holmes; websites How Stuff Works, Biography, Famous Scientists, National Geographic, Scholastic, O Estado de S. Paulo.