5 Black Leaders Pioneering Data and Technology in the Last 20 Years

A brief look at the origins of Black History Month and what 5 Black leaders have accomplished in the last 20 years of data and technology.

Did you know? Since 1928, the ASALH has provided a theme for Black History Month after ASALH co-founder, Carter G. Woodson, recognized the importance of having one for the public to focus on. The theme for Black History Month in 2022 is “Black Health and Wellness.”

Where did Black History Month begin?

The origins of Black History Month date back to a single week in February 1926 — more specifically, the second week in February. This weeklong event was sponsored by the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH).

The ASALH was co-founded in 1915 by Carter G. Woodson, a Harvard-trained historian, and Jesse E. Moorland, a prominent minister. The group chose the second week in February since it coincides with the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass. It began as a week dedicated to the research and promotion of achievements of Black Americans and peoples of African descent and served as a time for local communities to come together for celebrations and education.

However, Black History Month wasn’t officially recognized until 1976 by U.S. President Gerald Ford. Interestingly enough, this announcement was made in the year 1976 — a year that also marked the bicentennial of the United States’ independence from England. In a statement marking this occasion, Ford encouraged Americans to “seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.”

Since then, Black History Month continues to be celebrated during the month of February with the purpose of raising awareness and educating the public on meritorious developments by Black leaders, historical issues, and social movements.

Black Scientists in Science and Technology

“The cost of liberty is less than the price of repression.”

— W.E.B. Du Bois

Do you recognize the name W.E.B. Du Bois? What about Katherine Johnson or Skip (Clarence A.) Ellis? Can you name any of their accomplishments or the field they worked in?

They are just a few of the Black scientists that have made significant contributions to STEM — W.E.B. Du Bois for creating data visualizations, Katherine Johnson for her work on the math behind NASA operations, and Skip Ellis for being the first Black American to earn a Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of Illinois.

The work they did in the early-to-mid 20th century has certainly paved the way for continuing advances in science and technology, and these fields are continuing to emerge and evolve in the 21st century.

The 5 Black scientists below have made significant contributions to advancements in data and technology in the last 20 years. Their achievements are creating new pathways — not just for the future of the industry, but for future Black scientists to have the opportunity to make their mark.

2000: Kunle Olukotun founds Afara Websystems

• About Afara Websystems — a company that created multicore SPARC-based computer processors, later called Niagara, for data centers
• Education: Ph.D. in Computer Engineering from the University of Michigan
• Today: Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at Stanford
• Did you know? All Oracle SPARC-based servers are powered by Niagara-derived processors
• Learn more: arsenalfc.stanford.edu/kunle/

2007: Angela Benton co-founds Black Web 2.0

• About Black Web 2.0/B20 (now Scoopbyte) — a website dedicated to technology and media for the Black (and multicultural) community
• Education: MFA in Graphic Design from SCAD, BFA in Visual Communications from AIU
• Today: Founder and CEO of Streamlytics
• Check out her essay in the Wall Street Journal — “The Future of Entrepreneurship”
• Learn more: angelabenton.co

2009: Greg Greenlee founds Blacks in Technology

• About Blacks in Technology — the largest community and media organization that focuses on increasing the representation of Black people in the tech industry
• Education: AS in Computer Network Engineering from Cincinnati State
• Today: Principal DevOps Engineer at Insight
• Did you know? Greg was inspired to start BIT after attending a Linux tech conference where he noticed a lack of Black attendees or speakers
• Learn more: blacksintechnology.net

2011: Kimberly Bryant founds Black Girls CODE

• About Black Girls CODE — an educational nonprofit founded on the principles of taking action to close the opportunity gap for young Black women by providing them with opportunities to grow their skills in computer programming and tech
• Education: BE in Electrical Engineering with a Math and CS minor from Vanderbilt
• Today: Founder and CEO at Black Girls CODE
• Black Girls CODE has 15 chapters in cities across the US, and its 16th will open this year. They have provided enrichment opportunities for over 30,000 Black girls — or as they call them, future tech bosses!
• Learn more: blackgirlscode.com

2017: Hannah Scates Kettler co-founds the Community Standards for 3D Data Preservation (CS3DP)

• About the Community Standards for 3D Data Preservation (CS3DP) — a project formed to develop and implement much-needed standards for digital 3D data preservation that are needed for the preservation and management of collections of digital 3D data
• Education: MA in Digital Humanities from King’s College, BA in Anthropology from the University of Iowa
• Today: Head of Digital Scholarship & Initiatives at Iowa State University
• Hannah is also the Owner and Farmer at Minerva’s Meadow — a no-till, organic flower farm
• Learn more: hannahscateskettler.com

Wrap-Up

As someone who works in the tech industry, I feel that it’s important to look back on the past two decades of data and technology in order to recognize and celebrate the advancements made by Black individuals— something we should be doing not just during the 28 days of Black History Month, but 365 days a year.

Additional Resources:

• Association for the Study of African-American Life and History (ASALH) — https://asalh.org/about-us/
• Black [Data] History Timeline — Washington University in St. Louis
• Black History Month — Library of Congress website
• Black History Month — History.com

Holly Hilton is a Marketing Associate at Hashmap, an NTT DATA Company. She writes blogs (and other content) for Hashmap and is a co-producer for the Hashmap on Tap Podcast. When she’s not busy crafting content, she can most likely be found with a YA novel or Xbox controller in her hand, ready for the next adventure.