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Black History Month

Acknowledging and honoring the contributions of Black inventors and engineers
black and white portrait of a woman smiling at the camera against a white background
The InstituteIEEE Member NewsBlack History MonthWomen’s History MonthSpectrum CollectionsCareersProfile

This Rwandan Engineer Is Learning How to Manage Humanitarian Projects

A Regis University program is teaching her how

4 min read
a black and white image of an old vintage portrait of a man
History of TechnologyBlack History MonthProfileSpectrum Collections

Lewis H. Latimer: A Life of Lightbulb Moments

Self-taught hidden figure helped electric lighting and air conditioning come to be

8 min read
man in warm weather clothing standing in front of a white helicopter with snow on the ground
The InstituteIEEE Member NewsBlack History MonthSpectrum CollectionsTransportationCareersProfile

This Lockheed Martin Researcher’s Work on UAVs Saves Lives

The aircrafts are used for military and disaster-recovery missions

6 min read
Black and white illustration of a man with a moustache
History of TechnologyBlack History MonthSpectrum CollectionsTransportationProfile

Granville T. Woods: Smartest Guy in the Room

Self-taught “Black Edison” is a hidden figure everyone should know about

4 min read
portrait of a man with glasses wearing a dark blue blazer with a brick facade in the background
The InstituteIEEE Member NewsBlack History MonthMagazineSeptember 2023Spectrum CollectionsCareersProfile

John Brooks Slaughter: Courageous Advocate for Diversity in STEM

From humble beginnings to trailblazer for inclusion

9 min read
portrait of a man wearing a blazer and red tie against a white background
The InstituteIEEE Member NewsBlack History MonthSpectrum CollectionsCareersInterview

This Engineer Promotes Innovation-Based Projects in Uganda

His experience led him to be appointed chair of the IEEE Humanitarian Technology Board

5 min read
Woman in a red jacket over a black dress standing in a hallway.
CareersBlack History MonthMagazineSpectrum CollectionsProfileFebruary 2023

Overcoming Systemic Racism Through System Engineering

Tynesia Boyea-Robinson’s proven strategy for creating real change

5 min read
Photograph of James West holding the smart stethoscope.
BiomedicalBlack History MonthNewsSpectrum Collections

From the Segregated South to Bell Labs to the AI Frontier

Legendary inventor James West is trying to save lives with a smart stethoscope

2 min read
Mrs. Katherine G. Johnson at Work at NASA Langley
The InstituteBlack History MonthWomen’s History MonthProject Moon BaseArticleSpectrum CollectionsIEEE HistorySpecial Reports

Katherine Johnson, the Hidden Figures Mathematician Who Got Astronaut John Glenn Into Space

The NASA technologist received the IEEE President’s Award for her work on Apollo 11

4 min read
The Woods Building following the Tulsa Massacre in 1921.
CareersBlack History MonthSpectrum CollectionsNews

How Violence and Segregation Destroyed African American Innovation

Economist Lisa D. Cook’s research shows that African American patent levels didn’t recover to their per capita 1899 peak until 2010

8 min read
Photo of an electric hot combs from the 1920s.
History of TechnologyBlack History MonthArticleSpectrum CollectionsPast Forward

How the Electric Hot Comb Became an Entrepreneurial Tool

With few jobs open to them, hundreds of thousands of African American women became beauticians and opened salons

6 min read
Photo of a 1969 digital heart monitor
History of TechnologyBlack History MonthArticleSpectrum CollectionsPast Forward

The Inventions That Made Heart Disease Less Deadly

L. Julian Haywood’s digital heart-rate monitor was one of many lifesaving innovations in cardiology in the 1960s

6 min read
Roboticist Carlotta A. Berry from Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
CareersBlack History MonthOpinionSpectrum Collections

Supporting Black Scholars in Robotics

A new reading list aims to address racial inequality in academic robotics by highlighting the work of Black researchers

4 min read
Photo of a woman in a red top on a blue background.
The InstituteIEEE Member NewsBlack History MonthMagazineSpectrum CollectionsJune 2022CareersProfile

GeeRemit App Moves Money and Saves It Too

The mobile money transfer app aims to help people fund worthy causes

4 min read
Photo of Katherine Johnson
The InstituteIEEE Member NewsBlack History MonthIEEE HistorySpectrum CollectionsNews

NASA Technologist Katherine Johnson, the Hidden Figures Mathematician, Dies at 101

The IEEE President’s Award recipient helped the agency plot its course to space

1 min read
Image of Kerrine Bryan smiling while seated at a table.
The InstituteIEEE Member NewsBlack History MonthSpectrum CollectionsNews

My Mummy Is an Engineer and Other Children’s Books That Aim to Bridge the Gender Gap

IEEE Member Kerrine Bryan discusses Butterfly Books, her publishing company

4 min read
Photo of Adetona Omokanye
The InstituteIEEE Member NewsBlack History MonthSpectrum CollectionsNews

Customizable Shoes from This Startup Could Help Stamp Out Plastic Waste

Made from recycled materials, the shoes use the same sole but have interchangeable uppers

4 min read
Photo of Nashlie Sephus
The InstituteIEEE Member NewsBlack History MonthMagazineSeptember 2021Spectrum CollectionsProfile

This AWS Machine Learning Manager is Rooting Out Bias in AI Programs

Nashlie Sephus is also working to transform her Mississippi hometown into a tech hub

5 min read