The names of many impactful civil rights leaders are widely known, but there is often little to no exposure in textbooks to many of the contributions made by black innovators throughout history. This month, at my school, we are taking a more in-depth look at the individuals who created the various products and tools we all use every day.
Examples include the mapping functionality of smartphones to the life-saving medication used in clinics. All of these innovations have historic bases in the contributions of black inventors, as they served as “the unseen architects” of today’s society.
One person who plays a significant role in the advancement of technology is mathematician Gladys West, who worked for the US government and was instrumental in compiling complex earth data into a mathematical representation of our planet that was ultimately used to create the technology we refer to today as Global Positioning Systems (GPS). Had she and others like her not contributed to the data that created the GPS systems, our ability to navigate the world today would be very different.
According to Mr. Henderson, our school’s social studies teacher, “The fact that when we look at a map on our phones to get directions to a nearby restaurant, we are utilizing a Black woman’s brilliance from the 1950s is unbelievable. Her experience will show students that math is more than just solving problems on a piece of paper; it is also about creating tools that people all over the world will use for a long time.”
The effect of Black History Month is just as profound on medicine as it is in any area of human life. Dr. Charles Drew revolutionized emergency medical science and how we provide services during emergencies when he undertook his groundbreaking research on the processing and storage of blood plasma for use in blood banks.
Before his research, the delivery of blood could not take place in an emergency situation where an immediate need for transfusion existed. His process for creating and storing blood plasma has continued to facilitate the preservation of millions of lives worldwide since then.
There were other amazing contributions to the field of medicine aside from those made by individuals who worked in laboratories as scientists. For instance, in 1951, Henrietta Lacks was a hospital patient whose cells were harvested without her consent; her cells, dubbed HeLa cells, became the first human cells to be able to grow indefinitely in a laboratory. The HeLa cells led to the development of the polio vaccine and have aided in research against many other diseases.
“As a result of what I’ve learned about Henrietta Lacks, I’ve changed my view of science. What I’ve learned about her has shown me that history is messy. But the result has been good for practically every person on the planet. We owe her so much for all the medical advancements we see today.”
Many other Black inventors helped make our streets safer, such as Garrett Morgan. He invented the “Three Position Traffic Signal System.” He also added the “Yellow Light” to the “Three Position Traffic Signal System.” This helped people know when to stop, so they wouldn’t crash into other cars. He also invented the “Gas Mask.” This invention saved many people who were working in the tunnels, as they were sometimes exposed to smoke.
Charles Hamilton Houston also helped make our world a better place by using the law as a tool for Justice. He fought for the rights of people who had been oppressed by the unfair laws. He fought for the rights of people in the courts. This helped many people in our country see the value of the law as a tool for Justice.
If you think about all the individual victories, you will realize that Black History is not just about people who lived in the past. Black History is also the technology inside our phones, the cars we drive through the intersections, and the cars we drive when we go to the doctor.
