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James Edward West was an American inventor and acoustician. He was born on April 6, 1931, in Farmville, Virginia, and grew up to be one of the most influential inventors of the 20th century.  West's passion for science and technology began at an early age, and he went on to study electrical engineering at Temple University in Philadelphia. After graduation, he joined Bell Laboratories, where he was first introduced to the field of acoustics.  West's work at Bell Labs focused on improving the quality of microphones used in telephones. He quickly became a leading expert in the field and was soon working on improving the sound quality of other electronic devices as well.  In 1962, West teamed up with Gerhard Sessler, a fellow engineer at Bell Labs, to develop a new type of microphone that would revolutionize the way sound was recorded and transmitted. The result of their collaboration was the electret microphone, a device that could capture sound with unprecedented clarity and acc

A self-made billionaire at age 33; Robyn Rihanna Fenty, better known simply as Rihanna, is a Barbadian singer, actress, and entrepreneur. She has become one of the most successful and influential celebrities in the world. Born in Saint Michael, Barbados in 1988, Rihanna rose to fame in 2005 with the release of her debut album "Music of the Sun," which established her as a talented singer and performer. Rihanna's musical talents have helped her become one of the most successful female musicians of all time. However, it was her creation of the Fenty brand that truly showcased her creativity and innovation; likening her to a modern-day Madame C.J. Walker. The Fenty brand was created in 2017 and it was quickly recognized as one of the most innovative and inclusive beauty brands on the market. The brand solved a major problem for women of color by offering a wide range of foundation shades that cater to a diverse range of skin tones. This was a stark contrast to other beauty b

George Edward Alcorn Jr. is a renowned physicist who has made significant contributions to the fields of aerospace and semiconductor manufacturing. Born on March 22, 1940, Alcorn developed a passion for science and technology at an early age, which would later shape his career as a physicist. He is credited with 20 inventions, eight of which he received patents for, and his research has had a lasting impact on both the field of astrophysics and technology. Alcorn began his career as a physicist at the Goddard Space Flight Center at NASA, where he worked on various projects related to space exploration and technology. He is best known for his invention of an X-ray spectrometer, which he patented in 1984. The spectrometer revolutionized the field of astrophysics by allowing scientists to analyze distant galaxies and other deep-space phenomena. With the help of this invention, scientists have been able to learn about the composition and structure of stars, galaxies, black holes and other

Dr. Lonnie Johnson is an American engineer, inventor, and entrepreneur who has made a significant impact in various fields of science and technology. He was born on October 6, 1949, in Mobile, Alabama, and grew up in a family of inventors and mechanics. From a young age, Johnson had a fascination for science, technology, and invention, and was constantly tinkering with different gadgets and machines. Johnson received his bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from Tuskegee University, and later earned a master's degree and a Ph.D. in nuclear engineering from the University of Alabama. He began his career as a nuclear engineer, working on the stealth bomber project for the U.S. Air Force, and later worked on the Galileo space probe for NASA. Throughout his career, Johnson has held more than 80 U.S. patents and has developed numerous innovations in the fields of energy, thermodynamics, and fluid dynamics. One of his most notable contributions was the development of a means o

George Washington Carver was a pioneering botanist, agricultural scientist, and inventor who made significant contributions to American agriculture in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Born into slavery in Missouri in 1861, Carver overcame immense obstacles to become one of the most respected scientists of his time. Despite limited resources and educational opportunities, he developed a passion for plants and nature at a young age, and his scientific curiosity would go on to revolutionize the field of agriculture. Carver first gained recognition for his work while studying at Iowa State University, where he became the first Black undergraduate student. Here, he studied soybean fungi and developed new methods of crop rotation, laying the foundation for his future work at Tuskegee Institute in Alabama. It was at Tuskegee that Carver made his greatest contributions to science, where he devoted himself to researching and developing innovative uses for crops such as peanuts, soybeans,

  Madame C.J. Walker holds a Guinness Book of World Records title for being the first self-made woman millionaire in America. She was born Sarah Breedlove on December 23, 1867, in Louisiana. She was the first child born to her parents who were former slaves. Sarah faced numerous hardships in her childhood, including the loss of both parents by the age of seven. Despite these challenges, she was determined to make a better life for herself and her family. In her early adulthood, Sarah worked as a washerwoman to support her family and eventually married Moses McWilliams. However, her husband passed away just a few years later, leaving her to raise her daughter on her own. Sarah continued to work as a washerwoman, but her hair started to fall out due to a scalp ailment. This inspired her to find a solution and eventually led her to invent her own line of cosmetics and hair products. In 1905, Sarah moved to Denver, Colorado and married Charles Joseph Walker. It was at this time that she c

Click here to watch the video Identity Politics is a political approach that emphasizes the experiences and perspectives of individuals based on their particular characteristics, such as race, gender, sexuality, and so on. The focus is on the recognition and representation of these identities in political decision-making and discourse. Critical Race Theory (CRT), on the other hand, is a specific framework for examining the intersection of race and the law and the ways in which these intersections reinforce and perpetuate racial oppression. While (CRT) recognizes the importance of identity and lived experiences, its focus is on analyzing the systemic and structural factors that contribute to racial inequality and injustices. So, while both Identity Politics and (CRT) are concerned with the experiences and perspectives of marginalized communities, the focus and approach are slightly different. Identity Politics is primarily focused on representation and recognition, while (CRT) is focuse

A new statue, "The Embrace", was recently unveiled in Boston's oldest public park, Boston Common, to honor the memory of civil rights leaders Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King. The statue, designed by Hank Willis Thomas and MASS Design Group, depicts a hug shared between Martin and Coretta after the former won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964. The 20-foot tall and 40-foot wide monument was made of bronze and cost $10 million to create. The picture the sculpture is modeled after However, the unveiling of the statue has sparked mixed reactions among the public, with some calling it disrespectful. Some relatives of the civil rights leaders, such as Seneca Scott, a cousin of Coretta Scott, have expressed their disgust with the statue. In an essay for Compact Magazine, Scott wrote that "ten million dollars were wasted to create a masturbatory metal homage to my legendary family members—one of the all-time greatest American families." He went on to say that t

Kizzmekia Corbett is a renowned African American scientist and a leading researcher in the field of virology. She was born on August 5, 1986, and grew up in Virginia, United States. Corbett is best known for her role in the development of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, which has been instrumental in the global effort to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.  Corbett received her Bachelor of Science in Microbiology and Immunology from North Carolina Central University in 2008, and went on to earn her Ph.D. in Microbiology and Immunology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2015. During her PhD studies, Corbett became interested in the field of virology and developed a keen interest in understanding how viruses interact with cells.  In 2015, Corbett joined the Vaccine Research Center at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), where she became a key researcher in the effort to develop a vaccine for COVID-19. Working closely with other scientists and researchers, Corbett helped

Almost 60% of African-American deaths each year can be contributed to heart disease, cancer, strokes, diabetes, and respiratory illnesses. These are the top 5 leading causes of death for African-Americans. Those same illnesses may be associated with what makes African-Americans more vulnerable to being severely affected by the coronavirus. According to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention people at increased risk for critical illness include people of all age groups with underlying medical circumstances. The CDC doesn’t specify how COVID-19 affects racial groups or that one particular racial group is more vulnerable over the other but there are, however, some key circumstances associated with the coronavirus that do make African-Americans more at risk. A comparison of the CDC’s list of groups at higher risk and statistical data from other reliable health organizations reveals that African-Americans are disproportionately affected by the majority of medical dispositions lis