Celebrating Black History Month
2021 Resources
Ask your smart device to, “Open Black History facts” Amazon’s Alexa Skill will deliver daily facts from talented voices that are passionate about sharing relatable Black History Month inspiration.
Garrett Morgan
Garrett Morgan blazed a trail for African American inventors with his patents, including those for a hair-straightening product, a breathing device, a revamped sewing machine and an improved traffic signal.
Vice President Kamala Harris
Kamal Harris is the first Black female Vice President of the United States of America. She was elected Vice President after a lifetime of public service, having been elected District Attorney of San Francisco, California Attorney General, and United States Senator.
Hattie Scott Peterson
Believed to be the first African American women to obtain a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering, Hattie Scott Peterson graduated from Howard University in 1946. Following her degree, Hattie worked for the U.S. Geological Survey as a survey and cartographic engineer.
Hugh G. Robinson
Hugh G. Robinson received his master’s degree in civil engineering from MIT. A high-ranking engineering general in the Army, Robinson was the first black soldier to serve as military aide to a president (Lyndon Johnson) in 1965. 13 years later, he was promoted, and served as a general officer in the Corps of Engineers.
Shirley Chisholm
Shirley Chisholm was born in Brooklyn, N.Y. and was the first Black woman elected to the U.S. Congress. She was also the first black woman to run for President of the United States.
Celebrating Women’s History Month
Schillivia Baptiste Featured in the September 2019 Formidable Women Magazine
In the article, Under Construction, she discusses her beginnings in construction and engineering, the challenges she has overcome and her accomplishments in the industry.
Norma Merrick Sklarek
Known as the “Rosa Parks of architecture,” Norma Merrick Sklarek became one of the first female architects in the U.S. After graduating from Columbia’s architecture school in 1950, Sklarek landed a job designing bathroom layouts for the NYC Department of Public Works.
Georgia Louise Harris Brown
Georgia Louise Harris Brown was the first African American woman to earn a degree in architecture in 1944. In 1949, she became the second professionally licensed black female architect in the nation! During her college career, Harris Brown studied under the famous Ludwig Mies van der Rohe during his prime.
Aprille Ericsson-Jackson
Aprille Ericsson-Jackson may be one of the most recognized women in NASA. Starting as an aerospace engineer, Ericsson-Jackson progressed on, and spent a majority of her career helping the world get a better understanding of the Earth and sun connection, as well as earth, and space science.
Ursula Burns
Raised in a low-income housing project on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, Ursula Burns excelled in math, and ultimately received her master’s degree in mechanical engineering from Columbia University.
Lillian Gilbreth
Known as the “First Lady of Engineering,” Lillian Gilbreth was massively successful with her education, career, and as a loving mother of 12! Applying a scientific method to her work that is still used today for workplace efficiency and management, Gilbreth also took part in consulting for the government during the Great Depression and WWII.
