EACH FEBRUARY, IN OBSERVANCE of Black History
Month in the United States, we revisit the stories of
notable African Americans. Lists of these prominent
individuals and their contributions serve as power-
ful testimonials to black ingenuity. And within this
impressive group, African-American scientists and
inventors hold a special place.
They are a particular interest of mine, as a scholar
studying the intersection of African-American history
and the history of science. They also were exceptional
in their time. Succeeding in science and technology
in 19th- and 20th-century America despite the long
odds imposed by racial oppression, black inventors
represented the epitome of intellectual achievement.
By the early 19th century, James Forten of Phil-
adelphia is believed to have invented a device that
improved sailing and was running his own pros-
perous sailmaking business. He used his wealth to
campaign for the abolition of slavery. By the earlyBY EZELLE SANFORD IIITHE LEGACY OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN SCIENTISTS AND INNOVATORS
SHOULD BE AS MUCH ABOUT HOW THEY LIVED AS WHAT THEY CREATED.E
IN THIS SECTION
Seeds of Resilience
Tough Tardigrades
The Storm Chasers’ Tale
Why Locusts SwarmNATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC VOL. 237 NO. 2EXPLORE
Black Inventors:
a Broader View
ILLUMINATING THE MYSTERIES—AND WONDERS—ALL AROUND US EVERY DAYFEBRUARY 2020 17