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Subjects:
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Science
African Americans. Careers. History of science. Instructional issues. Inventors. Minorities in science. Scientists, inventors, etc.. |
Resource Type:
Literature. Media Type:
Print material.
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Abstract:
This book, designed for grades 5 to 9 as part of the BLACK STARS series, contains biographies of 25 black inventors, spanning three centuries of history. Many of them persevered, despite prejudice and obstacles to education and training. The boxed features throughout the book highlight historical timelines and background information. These stories show students how Benjamin Montgomery, born a slave, invented a propeller that improved steam boat navigation, and how William Harwell invented the space shuttle retrieval arm. These are followed by the story of Dr. Jane Cooke Wright, a third-generation physician and pioneer in the field of cancer research, and how she discovered a method for testing which drugs fight specific cancers. A biography of Dr. Daniel Hale Williams, the first physician to perform open-heart surgery, is also included. A chronology, from the birth of Benjamin Banneker in 1731 to Mae Jemison becoming the first African American woman in space in 1992, and an Index are also provided. (Author/YK) |
