12 Black Pioneers Whose Contributions Undoubtedly Changed Education in America

lg-1238

Armand Lanusse (c. 1810-1867)

Lanusse was a poet and educator living in New Orleans.  In 1845, he edited 85 poems written in French by 18 Afro-Creole poets of Louisiana called Les Cenelles. Lanusse helped fight for the rights of Black people in the bayou. In 1852, he organized a school for Afro-Creoles in New Orleans.

220px-Daniel_A_Payne

Daniel Payne (Feb. 24, 1811 – Nov. 2, 1893)

Payne was a pastor of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. He worked on helping freedman after slavery and recruiting more members into the congregation. He was also one of the founders of Wilberforce University in 1856. Payne also served as president of the school in 1863-77.

4 Apps To Vastly Increase Your Child’s Black History Knowledge

screen320x480 (1)

‘Black Inventors Match Game’

Available on: Android and iOS

This app, for younger children around ages 7-12, features the characters Myles and Ayesha as interactive teachers. They will help kids learn about Black inventors and their inventions, such as the doorknob, traffic light, lemon squeezer and many more. Then users can test their knowledge with a matching game. This app is only 99 cents.

10 Brilliant Black Mathematicians Who Never Received the Praise They Deserved

Euphemia-Lofton-Haynes

Euphemia Haynes (Sept. 11, 1890 – July 25, 1980)

Haynes  was a mathematician and educator and the first African-American woman to earn a doctorate in mathematics from the Catholic University of America in 1943. For roughly 47 years, Haynes was a devoted math teacher in Washington, D.C. She taught at local high schools and at universities. In 1930, she taught at Miner Teachers College. While there, she served as chair of the mathematics department and the Division of Mathematics and Business Education. In 1966, Haynes was the first woman to chair the District of Columbia School Board, and during her short period there, she was vital in the integration of the D.C. public schools. 

 

hewitt

Gloria Conyers Hewitt (born Oct. 26, 1935)

Hewitt earned her bachelor’s in secondary mathematics education at Fisk University in 1956. She attended the University of Washington and received her master’s and doctorate in mathematics in 1962. One of her major career highlights was in the 1990s, when she served as chair of the mathematics department at the University of Montana. Hewitt was also one of the first Black women to be awarded a mathematics reward of any kind. She was awarded the National Science Foundation postdoctoral Science Faculty Fellowship in the 1990s.

6 High-Paying Jobs for Introverted Black Nerds

_65169606_telescopemilkyway

Astronomer

Salary: Up to $96,000+

Becoming an astronomer is a very long and arduous process. One must earn a doctorate degree and pay a lot of dues. Astronomers study the stars, planets, celestial bodies and how space operates as a whole. They monitor satellites and observe the night sky. Astronomy makes use of mathematics, chemistry, quantum mechanics and other science disciplines.

Supinfocom / Supinfogame / ISD / Groupe formation de la CCIV. Valenciennes

Digital Game Developer

Salary: Up to $200,000

These software developers spend long hours looking at a computer screen. They must know 3-D animation, math, science and computer science to have a career like this. They must also love long hours and video games.

10 Facts That Will Amaze You About the Life of the Brilliant Scientist Benjamin Banneker

Banneker (1)Benjamin Banneker was born Nov. 9, 1731, and died Oct. 9, 1806. His parents were free Blacks living near Baltimore. He was an astronomer, scientist, inventor, abolitionist and farmer.

BannekerIntroPic.jpeg

Banneker was self-educated, with handed-down textbooks as his resources. His white grandmother taught him how to read at an early age before attending a small Quaker school for a brief time.

10 Free or Inexpensive Educational Apps That Could Help Underprivileged Students Close the Racial Achievement Gap

Sushi Monster

Sushi Monster

A 2010 report by The New York Times revealed that only 12 percent of Black boys in the eighth grade were proficient in math compared to more than 40 percent of their white counterparts. A Harvard researcher explained that there are often major “racial differences” in the foundation that Black students have when compared to white students, especially in the area of math. Sushi Monster can help change that by giving Black students exposure to math at an early stage and disguising it as nothing more than a fun game. The free app from Scholastic helps students practice addition and multiplication skills. The app earned an impressive four-star rating after more than 800 users weighed in on the app’s effectiveness. While many parents admitted that the app was challenging, which is essentially the point of the app, they also said they noticed an improvement in their child’s overall understanding of and interest in math.

Science360foriPad

Science360

Getting students interested in science is a major part of the battle to help them excel in the subject. For schools with more sufficient funding, science fairs, field trips and other school-funded activities help get students interested and engaged in science in a way that helps them understand the concepts they learn in the classroom. For underprivileged schools that can’t offer those same experiences, Science360 can be a huge plus. The National Science Foundation’s app makes the most out of fascinating photos, intriguing videos and other digital content to show students just how interesting science can be. With a news feed that updates students on scientific news, they are also able to see their course lessons reflected in real world discussions in the science community.

10 Black Scientists and Physicians Who Changed History With Their Groundbreaking Achievements

benjamin-banneker

Benjamin Banneker (Nov. 9, 1731 – Oct. 9, 1806)

Banneker was an astronomer, mathematician and author who constructed America’s first functional clock. In the early days of the U.S., Banneker was a prominent abolitionist working with Thomas Jefferson on improving the lives of Black people in this nation. He was also one of the few people to help survey the borders of Washington, D.C.

dhwilliams

Dr. Daniel Hale Williams (Jan. 18, 1858 – Aug. 4, 1931)

Williams performed the first prototype open-heart surgery. He also was the second surgeon to perform a pericardium surgery to repair a wound. In 1891, he created one of the first non-segregated hospitals in the U.S. He called it Provident Hospital and it was located in Chicago.

10 Ridiculous Science Myths That Too Many People Believe Are True

e22c3f31-099e-456f-9506-de0f692cbef9

Evolution

Evolution does not cause something to go from “lower” to a “higher” stage of development. In many cases, organisms can evolve without any major improvements. Some examples of this are fungi, sharks, crayfish and mosses. These organisms have all remained virtually the same over a great period of time.

Venus_Structure2

The Hottest Planet in Our Solar System

Even though Mercury is the closest planet to the sun, Venus is really the hottest. The surface temperature of Venus is so hot it can melt lead. The temperature at the surface is 740 K (467 degrees Celsius or 872 degrees Fahrenheit).

10 of the Best HBCUs for Students Pursuing STEM Careers

As our world depends more and more on technology, STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) careers will be in high demand. This list shows the historically Black colleges and universities that awarded the most STEM degrees to students within the sample year of 2008-09. According to a 2012 study, Texas Southern professors Emiel W. Owens, Andrea J. Shelton, Collette M. Bloom and  J. Kenyatta Cavil also found that the schools listed below have produced the most STEM graduates from HBCUs.

FL-North05-L

Howard University

Located in the heart of Washington D.C., this university awarded 166 different STEM degrees.

vier_University__New_Orleans__public_domain__0Xavier University of Louisiana

This university in New Orleans awarded 159 science, technology, engineering and math degrees.