African American Scientists and Inventors

by Tish Davidson

Overview

Some of them were elementary school dropouts. Others became medical doctors or college professors. Some were famous, while some toiled in obscurity. Some became rich. Others remained poor their whole lives. But the African-American scientists and inventors profiled in this book had one thing in common: a determination to succeed. And in pursuing their dreams, these creative thinkers made the world a better place. Lewis Latimer devised a manufacturing process that made electric lights affordable for ordinary people. Charles Drew did pioneering work in blood storage, helping save countless lives. Garrett Woods figured out how to send messages from moving trains. Learn about these and many other black scientists and inventors in this fascinating book.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781422292815
Publisher:	Mason Crest
Publication date:	09/02/2014
Series:	Major Black Contributions from Emancipat
Sold by:	SIMON & SCHUSTER
Format:	eBook
Pages:	64
File size:	5 MB
Age Range:	6 - 18 Years

Table of Contents

Introduction Dr. Marc Lamont Hill 6

1 Becoming Scientists and Inventors 9

2 Feeding the Hungry: Improving Agriculture and Food 17

3 Making Work Easier: Household and Industry Inventions 25

4 Going Places: Transportation Inventions 31

5 Saving Lives: Advances in Medicine 39

6 Into the Future: Aerospace and Technology 45

Chapter Notes 54

Chronology 56

Glossary 58

Further Reading 60

Internet Resources 61

Index 62

Contributors 64

Editorial Reviews

"Major Black Contributions from Emancipation to Civil Rights" is a wordy but descriptive title for a series highlighting African-American successes in many fields, including the arts, sports, politics, education and, here, science and inventions. After explaining the patent process, so important to inventors, Davidson moves on to the career of African-American pioneer in agricultural research, Dr. George Washington Carver, who introduced crop rotation to farmers and invented 270 ways to use peanuts (including peanut butter). Others developed methods of preserving food, while Frederick Jones, before World War I, invented an important refrigeration system for trains. In the fields of industry and transportation, African-American inventions abound: a clothes wringer, a sleeve board, a mechanical eggbeater. Outstanding researcher and inventor Louis Latimer devised a better carbon filament for light bulbs, making electric light affordable for all; David Crosthwait heated and cooled New York's Radio City. Though they continued to suffer discrimination, many innovative African-Americans entered the field of medicine (a wonderful 1900 photograph shows a black doctor making a house call while his elegant horse and carriage wait at the curb). Dr. Charles Drew made blood plasma usable; Percy Julian discovered ways to simulate soybean chemicals to produce cortisone and Aero-foam. By the mid-twentieth century, more African-Americans were entering college and making significant contributions to space technology as astronauts and research scientists—Frederick Gregory, Ronald McNair, Guion Bluford, and Dr. Mae Jemison have all gone into space. Electrical engineer Mark Dean helped make personal computers possible, while Paul Williams is a leader in computer security and a consultant to businesses and the FBI. Such information can be inspiring to many young scientists and is vital to understanding African-American participation in our country's history. Included are a glossary, a chronology, suggested books, and Internet sources. Reviewer: Barbara L. Talcroft

Children's Literature - Barbara L. Talcroft