Inspiring Black Women In Tech Throughout History

By keely aouga

Over the years, men have dominated the field of tech, leaving some women feeling shut out. However, Black women, in particular, have persevered and made numerous contributions to the field.

Despite their hard work, Black women's achievements in tech remain widely unknown.

We've compiled a list of Black women in tech whose stories are often not told, but have changed the trajectory of the industry.

Mae C. Jemison

Mae C. Jemison became the first African American woman to travel in space when she served as a Mission Specialist aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour in 1992.

Mary W. Jackson

Jackson began her career in an era in which female engineers of any background were a rarity. In the 1950s, she may have been the only Black female aeronautical engineer.

Shirley Ann Jackson

Shirley Ann Jackson is the second African American woman in the United States to earn a doctorate in physics.

Marie Van Brittan Brown

Marie Van Brittan Brown, along with her husband, was the inventor of the first home security system. She is also credited with the invention of the first closed circuit television.

Alexa Canady

The retired medical doctor was the first African American woman in the United States to become a neurosurgeon.

Gladys West

Known for her contributions to mathematical modeling of the shape of the Earth, West also did work that was later incorporated into the Global Positioning System (GPS).

Valerie Thomas

She invented the illusion transmitter, for which she received a patent in1980. She was also responsible for developing the digital media formats used in NASA's Landsat program.

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