Every year in the United States, February is Black History Month.

This month-long celebration highlights the contributions and achievements of Black Americans, across all areas of culture and society. From artists to athletes, authors to activists, and of course, scientists and engineers.

George Washington Carver

George Washington Carver was one of the most prominent American scientists of the early 20th Century. He was an agricultural scientist who dedicated his research to improving the lives of black farmers in the Deep South.

At the time, farms in the Deep South were mostly used for growing cotton. However, repeatedly planting cotton had reduced the soil’s nutrients. This made it harder to grow healthy crops, resulting in smaller harvests and less profit.

Carver encouraged farmers to vary what they planted. By switching between cotton and other crops like peanuts and sweet potato, they could help add nutrients back into the soil. As well as improving the land, these crops could be used as food, or as ingredients in other products like soap, cosmetics, and glue.

Carver was a pioneering scientist. Through his research and outreach, he helped transform the livelihoods of Black farmers and revolutionise agriculture in the South.

Dr. Gladys West

Gladys West is a mathematician and computer programmer,
who played a key role in the development of GPS—the Global Positioning System.

West worked for the United States Armed Forces, where she helped calculate the orbits of planets and satellites, but her most significant contribution was developing detailed models of the Earth’s shape.

Earth is not a perfect sphere. It’s slightly flatter at the poles, bulges at the equator, and its surface is irregular, with some parts higher and some parts lower.

West created a computer model of the Earth that took all these irregularities into account, mapping the Earth’s true shape more accurately than ever before. Her work made it possible to precisely calculate the position of satellites above the Earth’s surface... 

Paving the way for GPS technology, which can pinpoint locations anywhere on the planet—helping us find where we need to go, and letting other people know where we are.

Guion Bluford

Guion Bluford is a retired Astronaut and Engineer, and the first Black American to go to space. In 1983, Guion spent 6 days on-board the space shuttle Challenger, as part of NASA’s STS-8 mission.

Guion and his crew-mates carried out experiments and scientific research, and as ‘Flight Engineer’, Guion’s biggest responsibility was successfully putting a satellite into orbit during the mission.

Those historic six days were not Guion’s only visit to space. He went on to be a Mission Specialist for three more NASA flights, clocking a total of 688 hours in space.

These are just three of the many pioneering Scientists and Engineers who have made their mark on American history, and as Black History Month continues, they are celebrated for all their achievements.

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