15 Famous Black Scientists in History

Black people were not usually allowed to acquire formal education during the slavery era. As a matter of fact, various laws were passed in the South disallowing slave literacy in the wake of the slave rebellions and revolts. Nevertheless countless black scientists and inventors have made significant contributions to society and humanity.

In this article at Famous Scientists, we will discuss the famous black scientists, physicians, inventors throughout history and their wonderful achievements.

Benjamin Banneker (November 9, 1731 – October 9, 1806)

African American astronomer, mathematician and author who who constructed America’s first functional clock.

Charles Drew (3 June 1904 – 1 April 1950)

American physician, surgeon and medical researcher known as the inventor of the blood bank.

Dr. Daniel Hale Williams (January 18, 1858 – August 4, 1931)

African American physician who performed the first prototype open-heart surgery.

Emmett Chappelle (born October 25, 1925)

African American scientist and researcher and a recipient of 14 U.S. patents, who discovered that a particular combination of chemicals caused all living organisms to emit light.

Ernest Everett Just (August 14, 1883 – October 27, 1941)

African American biologist and author known for his work on egg fertilization and the structure of the cell.

Garrett Morgan (March 4, 1877 – August 27, 1963)

African American inventor who made both the first traffic signal invention and the first patented gas mask.

George Washington Carver (January 1864 – January 5, 1943)

American scientist and inventor and an extraordinary explorer and innovator of agricultural science.

James West (born February 10, 1931)

African-American inventor who developed the mic in the 1960s; holds 47 U.S. and more than 200 foreign patents on microphones and techniques for making polymer foil-electrets.

Mae Jemison (born October 17, 1956)

American physician and NASA astronaut known for being the first black woman to travel in space.

Marie Maynard Daly (April 16, 1921 – October 28, 2003)

The first African American woman to earn a Ph.D. in Chemistry.

Norbert Rillieux (March 17, 1806 – October 8, 1894)

American inventor and engineer, best remembered for his invention of the multiple-effect evaporator.

Patricia Bath (born November 4, 1942)

American ophthalmologist and inventor known for being the first African American woman doctor to receive a patent for a medical invention.

Percy Lavon Julian (April 11, 1899 – April 19, 1975)

African American researcher known for being a pioneer in the chemical synthesis of medicinal drugs from plants.

Philip Emeagwali (born August 23, 1954)

Nigerian-born scientist and inventor known for first using a Connection Machine supercomputer to help analyze petroleum fields.

Prof. Samuel Massie Jr. (July 3, 1919 – April 10, 2005)

An organic chemist who was the first African American to teach at the U.S. Naval Academy.