For black history month, as well as every other month in the year, we must remember all the black scientists who have made scientific breakthroughs throughout history. This list is only a portion of the scientists that have changed the world of science.
- Alice Ball (1892-1916):
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Alice Ball was a famous chemist who developed one of the first treatments for Hansen’s disease, also known as leprosy. She developed her injectable treatment from the oil of the chaulmoogra tree. Unfortunately, Ball died at the young age of 24 and never saw the impact that her findings had on the world of science.
- Marie M. Daly (1921-2003):
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Marie M. Daly was a famous American biochemist. She was the first African American woman to receive a Ph.D. in chemistry in the United States. In 1955, Daly worked to find the causes of heart attacks, finding that there was a relationship between high cholesterol and clogged arteries.
- Mae C. Jemison (1956-Present):
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Mae C. Jemison is the first African-American female astronaut. In 1992, Jemison flew into space on the Endeavor. Jemison is also a physician and earned her M.D. in 1981.
- Katherine G. Johnson (1918-Present):
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Katherine Johnson worked as a human “computer” for NASA and was one of the main people responsible for the calculations that sent astronauts to space in the 1960s.