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8 Amazing Black Scientists and How They Changed History

Working everywhere from operating rooms to NASA research facilities, these pioneer Black scientists changed history and propelled us into the future.

ByMonica Cull
(Credit Left to Right, Row 1: Everett Collection/Shutterstock | Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons | NASA, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons | Public domain, via Internet Archive. Row 2: Jamie Lamor Thompson/Shutterstock | U.S. Air Force, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons | Olga Popova/Shutterstock | Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)

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Sometimes, all it takes is one person to shape the world we live in. With a spark of imagination and a little bit of courage, amazing things can be achieved. Unfortunately, some of those achievements can be overshadowed and innovations taken for granted; history is full of amazing scientists who were often overlooked because of their race and gender.

Born into eras marked by profound challenges, these eight amazing Black scientists not only broke through the barriers of racism and segregation but also laid the foundations for modern advancements in agriculture, medicine, aerospace, and technology.

Their stories are not just tales of personal triumph but are a testament to the enduring impact of diversity in driving scientific discovery and progress. Explore the lives and legacies of these extraordinary individuals, whose contributions have forever altered the landscape of science and opened new horizons for generations to come.

(Credit: Everett Collection/Shutterstock)

Everett ...

  • Monica Cull

    A graduate of UW-Whitewater, Monica Cull wrote for several organizations, including one that focused on bees and the natural world, before coming to Discover Magazine. Her current work also appears on her travel blog and Common State Magazine. Her love of science came from watching PBS shows as a kid with her mom and spending too much time binging Doctor Who.

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