MY HERO Celebrates African American Heroes in the Sciences
African American Heroes in Space Exploration
Katherine Johnson plotted multiple flight courses for NASA, including the course of the Apollo 11 spacecraft, which is famous for having been the first spaceship to reach the moon. [This story is available with audio.]
MY HERO Suggested Video
"HIDDEN FIGURES is the incredible untold story of Katherine G. Johnson (Taraji P. Henson), Dorothy Vaughan (Octavia Spencer) and Mary Jackson (Janelle Monáe)—brilliant African-American women working at NASA, who served as the brains behind one of the greatest operations in history: the launch of astronaut John Glenn into orbit, a stunning achievement that restored the nation’s confidence, turned around the Space Race, and galvanized the world. The visionary trio crossed all gender and race lines to inspire generations to dream big." - 20th Century Fox
Mae Jemison is an astronaut who dreamed of going to space since childhood.
Particularly for young people, it's important to see diverse role models in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, which has historically had low numbers of minorities and women. Because of the legacy of slavery, African Americans were denied their human rights, and have systemically been denied access to equal education. This fight took a turning point in the 20th century, with Brown v. the Board of Education, which ended the "separate but equal" policy of segregating school children. However, the effort to level the playing field and encourage more minorities and women to enter STEM fields continues.
For Black History Month, we celebrate the African American heroes in science: scientists, engineers, mathematicians, inventors and innovators.
Natural/Pure Sciences | Life Science
Marie Daly fell in love with biology reading about microbes in her grandfather's library. She became the first African American woman in the United States to earn a Ph.D. in chemistry.
Percy Julian was a groundbreaking African American chemist, inventor, and trailblazer.
Math
Applied Sciences | Medicine
Inventors
Madam C.J. Walker used her haircare business success to fight discrimination and open doors for others. [This story is available with audio.]
From PB NOVA: Secret Life of Scientists & Engineers. The Diversity in STEM collection features diverse role models, men and women of all races.
From PB NOVA: Secret Life of Scientists & Engineers. The Diversity in STEM collection features diverse role models, men and women of all races.
Related Pages
 |
Artwork curated by MY HERO Arts Education and Gallery director Giselle Villatoro. |
 |
Short films curated by MY HERO International Film Festival director Wendy Milette. |
 |
Hero Stories curated by MY HERO General Editor and Story Director Shannon Luders-Manuel. |
 |
Audio curated by MY HERO Audio director Stu Pearlman. |
Organizer created on 1/27/2019 9:04:07 PM by MY HERO Staff
Last edited 1/23/2024 10:47:24 AM by Laura Nietzer
