Throughout history, many African Americans have made great contributions in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics). They have demonstrated their ability to excel in their fields, and go above and beyond to help, not only themselves, but also the world for the better. Also, their contributions in STEM have made them quite popular in their fields. Among these many people, Mae C. Jemison was the first African American women to travel in space.
When growing up, Mae C. Jemison had a great childhood. She was born in Decatur, Alabama in October 17, 1956. When she was 3 years old, her family moved to Chicago, Illinois. With the support of her parents, she developed the idea to pursue a career in biomedical engineering. When she graduated Morgan Park High School in 1973, she attended Stanford University, where she was an active member in numerous extracurricular activities. For example, she was in the dance/theatre production, and served as the head of the Black Student Union. When Jemison graduated from Stanford three years later with a bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering, she attended Cornell University. At Cornell, Mae Jemison spent time studying about Cuba and Kenya, while working as an
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For example, in 1993, while at Dartmouth, she founded Jemison Group. This incorporation constructed a solar- powered telecommunication system that would facilitate healthcare delivery in West Africa. She also founded the BioSentient in 1999. This foundation would help monitor a person’s vital signs, and train people to react favorably in these stressful situations. Mae Jemison also established The Earth We Share international science camp for kids ages 12-16. The goal for this camp was to help build critical-thinking and problem solving skills for kids. All of these establishment that Jemison has created, they all had one goal, and it was to help make the world a better
Mildred Day and Malitta Jensen had a problem. Often times amazing things can happen when people can find a solution to a problem. These homemakers were leaders of a Campfire Girls group. They needed the girls to make something that they could sell to raise funds for activities. The year was 1939 and these two busy ladies came up with Rice Krispie treats. They have truly become a world wide treat.
Blasting off into space was once an all-male’s game. But on the heels of such trailblazers as Sally Ride, engineer and inventor Ellen Ochoa became part of growing breed of NASA female astronauts who have since helped change all that. Ellen Ochoa, a veteran astronaut, is the 11th director of the Johnson Space Center. She is JSC’s first Hispanic director, and its second female director. In 1993, she made history by becoming the first Hispanic woman from any country to travel in space. She would follow up this journey with three more space flights in 1994, 1999 and 2001, logging more than 700 hours in space. Despite being rejected two times from NASA’s Training Program,
Mary McLeod Bethune was an innovative leader because she took a story which was largely latent in the population, equal education rights for black children, and brought it to national prominence through the creation of the Bethune-Cookman college. She was also a visionary leader because of the incredible success she was able to attain in advancing the cause of equal education.
Since 1914, Canadian Human Rights laws have had a positive impact on helping to shape Canadian identity as one that is welcoming to various minority groups. Being a Canadian citizen provides you with the freedoms to travel, and settle in Canada at your own will and desire. Also, the freedom to express your sexual orientation is welcomed and well supported in many communities. Modern discrimination against categorizing human beings is very slim and everyone of all ethnic or cultural backgrounds are welcome with respect and good intentions. Canada is an extremely welcoming and protective place, in which nearly everything is done to promote equality, and a safe country.
When asked to write about an important activist who has demonstrated protest, I immediately drifted towards a Hispanic and/or feminist activist. Various names came across my mind initially such as Cesar Chavez and Joan Baez but as a later discussion in class concluded, there are numerous others who are rarely highlighted for their activism and struggles, which lead to me researching more. In my research I came across Dolores Huerta, an American labor leader and civil rights activist, who I felt was an underdog and brushed over activist in the Hispanic community.
As the Great Depression and the World War came to a dramatic close during the mid 1940s, the American society prepared for a redefinition of its core ideologies and values. During this time, the idea of a quintessential “American family” was once again reinforced after two decades of social strife. Under such historical context, the 1941 novel Mildred Pierce by James M. Cain and its 1945 film adaptation by Michael Curtiz both carries a strong idea that when one, especially a female, tries to disobey their traditional family roles and social etiquettes, undesirable consequences would inevitably follow. However, the film adaptation, utilizing a slightly different narrative configuration and plot organization, further intensifies and emphasizes
Philadelphia, PA: Davis University Press, Inc. Smith, J, & Phelps, S (1992). Notable Black American Women (1st Ed). Detroit, MI: Gale & Co. Webster, Raymond B. (1999). African American Firsts in Science & Technology (1st Ed.).
For a long time, women’s potential in Science was little to none. However, over the years, it has now changed because of the outstanding breakthroughs and encouraging accomplishments women have done through the years. It is because of them, women’s potential in Science and other realms of studies has now evolved with more understandings and discoveries. It is for the reason of Maria Mitchell, one of the first female astronomers to be recognized in Science, that women’s potential were essentially respected. Her discoveries during her time as a student, a teacher, and an astronomer paved the way for many others, not just in Science, but also for woman’s rights and potential to be seen.
...hers Hazel also took on the leadership aspect of encouraging the heart of others. When she encouraged the women to do research and share their findings to the rest of the scientific community, Hazel was not only encouraging those women but also exemplifying the leadership trait to push that she had. The way she paved the way for other women has contributed to society today with the furtherance of research from the basics that were found.
In spite of her relatively short career, Bessie Coleman challenged early 20th century stereotypes of white supremacy and the disqualification of women. When she became the first African American female pilot, and performing all over the country, she proved that people did not have to be tied down by their gender or the color to succeed their dreams.
" In 1983, astronaut and astrophysicist Sally Ride became the first American woman in space aboard the space shuttle Challenger."(Biography. (2018). Sally Ride. [online] Available at: https://www.biography.com/people/sally-ride-9458284 [Accessed 12 Feb. 2018].) After many years of hard work Sally proved it all payed off. This is a great example of how if you keep working towards no matter how big or how many obstacles that may be in your way you can overcome them and reach your goals. During her time in space Sally Ride had an important job. " Her job was to work the robotic arm. She used the arm to help put satellites into space."(NASA. (2018). Who Was Sally Ride? [online] Available at: https://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/k-4/stories/nasa-knows/who-was-sally-ride-k4.html [Accessed 12 Feb.
African American Contributions in Science Throughout American history, many African Americans have been overlooked in the field of science. Some powerful minds and great inventors haven’t been re-introduced to new generations. African Americans have contributed a great deal to the advancements of our country and one of the major fields they have made contributions to is in the field of science. Many successful African Americans have been overshadowed by their Caucasian counterparts.
“I Want to be useful or bring enjoyment to all people even those who I’ve never met, I want to go on living even after my death!” (from a Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank). This quote has a lot of meaning because she wanted to be remembered and I am now writing and telling about her eighty one years later. Anne Frank is a hero because she was a spirited young Jewish girl that had to go into hiding at the age of thirteen.
Sojourner Truth was a Civil Rights Activist, and a Women’s Rights Activist 1797-1883. Sojourner Truth was known for spontaneous speech on racial equal opportunities. Her speech “Aint I a Women? “Was given to an Ohio Women’s Rights convention in 1851. Sojourner Truth’s was a slave in New York, where she was born and raised and was sold into slavery at an early age (bio, 2016)
Dr. Sally Kristen Ride was born in Encino, California on May 26th, 1951. Growing up, Sally was considered a tomboy. She spent most of her time playing football and baseball with the neighborhood boys. As Sally grew older, she found a love for tennis and science fiction novels. In high school, she studied chemistry, physics, trigonometry, and calculus. Sally started her first year of college at Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania and then transferred to Stanford University in California. At Stanford, Sally’s main studies were english and physics. After graduation Sally entered Stanford’s Master’s program specializing in astrophysics. It was during this that Sally heard that the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) were looking for young scientists to become mission specialists. She noticed that NASA was encouraging women to apply. Sally applied and seemed to fit all of the requirements. She was asked to report to ...