Famous African American Scientists Who Deserve A Salute For Their Achievements

Scientists have to be thanked immensely for making our lives so comfortable and sophisticated. Although many people around the world do know about the contributions of many eminent scientists, the achievements of African American scientists have been largely unspoken. George Washington Carver, Percy Lavon Julian and Ernest Everett Just are a few yesteryear African American scientists known for their outstanding achievements. Carver was a botanist who created awareness among farmers about the importance of peanuts and sweet potatoes. The renowned ‘Time’ magazine had nicknamed this eminent botanist as the ‘Black Leonardo’ and hailed his contributions as an environmentalist. Astronaut Mae C Jemison created history in 1992 by becoming the first woman to visit space. Jemison, an alumna of highly reputed institutions like ‘Cornell University’ and ‘Stanford University’, has won a string of awards for her outstanding contributions towards the field of astrophysics. During recent times, astrophysicist Neil DeGrasse Tyson has been the talk of the town for his impressive writings in various science journals. His book, titled ‘Death By Black Hole’, was released in 2007 and is a favorite among various science lovers from around the world. Most noteworthy African American scientists have been recipients of several awards and other laurels for their remarkable accomplishments. We have listed the names of African American scientists who are great achievers and role models to many people around the world. It’s high time we know more about them and their remarkable achievements.
Vote for Your Favourite African American Scientists Who Deserve A Salute For Their Achievements

Right IconThis ranking is based on an algorithm that combines various factors, including the votes of our users and search trends on the internet.

 1 
Neil deGrasse Tyson
(American Astrophysicist, Planetary Scientist and Science Communicator)
Neil deGrasse Tyson
55
Listed In: Scientists
Birthdate: October 5, 1958
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Manhattan, New York, United States

Public Welfare Medal-winning astrophysicist and academic Neil deGrasse Tyson hosted shows such as NOVA ScienceNow, Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey, and Star Talk. He is the director of Hayden Planetarium and contributed to the dismissal of Pluto’s status as the ninth planet. He has also written a monthly column as "Merlin.”

 2 
Ben Carson
(U.S. Secretary of Housing & Urban Development (2017 – 2021))
Ben Carson
109
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: September 18, 1951
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Detroit, Michigan, U.S.

Neurosurgeon Ben Carson is credited with many pioneering neurosurgical procedures. He became a Library of Congress “Living Legend” and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom. He later contested in the 2016 presidential primaries, has authored numerous books, was a Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, and earned 60 honorary doctorates.

 3 
Mae Jemison
(First African American Woman To Travel To Space)
Mae Jemison
30
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: October 17, 1956
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Decatur, Alabama, United States

Former NASA astronaut Mae Jemison became the first Black woman to fly into space, as a mission specialist on the Space Shuttle Endeavour. A qualified physician, she has served as a Peace Corps doctor, too. She has written several books and established a non-profit and a tech research organization.

 4 
Ronald McNair
(American NASA Astronaut and Physicist)
Ronald McNair
5
Listed In: Scientists
Birthdate: October 21, 1950
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Lake City, South Carolina, United States
Died: January 28, 1986

A doctorate in physics from MIT Cambridge, Ronald McNair worked on chemical lasers before joining NASA and in 1984 flew as a mission specialist on STS-41-B aboard Challenger, becoming the second African-American to do so. In January 1986, he was selected to fly on STS-51-L, but was killed along with rest of the crews when Challenger disintegrated soon after liftoff.

 5 
Benjamin Banneker
(Compiler of Almanacs)
Benjamin Banneker
14
Listed In: Scientists
Birthdate: November 9, 1731
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Baltimore County
Died: October 9, 1806

Benjamin Banneker was born to a free African-American mother and a former slave father, and was largely self-educated. While he showed immense talent in both mathematics and astronomy, having predicted a solar eclipse with precision, he also wrote essays on civil rights and rallied against slavery.

 6 
John McWhorter
(American Linguist and Author)
John McWhorter
0
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: October 6, 1965
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Philadelphia
Recommended Lists:
 7 
Lonnie Johnson
(Inventor, Aerospace engineer)
Lonnie Johnson
1
Listed In: Engineers
Birthdate: October 6, 1949
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Mobile, Alabama, United States
 8 
Edward Bouchet
(physicist)
Edward Bouchet
1
Listed In: Scientists
Birthdate: September 15, 1852
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: New Haven, Connecticut, United States
Died: August 28, 1918
 9 
Marie Maynard Daly
(Biochemist)
Marie Maynard Daly
0
Listed In: Scientists
Birthdate: April 16, 1921
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Corona, New York, United States
Died: October 28, 2003

Marie Maynard Daly was the first Black lady to earn a doctoral degree in chemistry in the U.S. She was inspired by her father, who had to drop out of Cornell due to lack of funds. A pioneer of biochemistry, Daly later introduced a scholarship for African-American students at Queens College.

Recommended Lists:
 10 
Alice Ball
(American Chemist Renowned for Developing the 'Ball Method')
Alice Ball
4
Listed In: Scientists
Birthdate: July 24, 1892
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Seattle, Washington, United States
Died: December 31, 1916

Alice Ball was an American chemist best remembered for developing the Ball Method, which became the most effective treatment for leprosy in the early 20th century. She was the first African American and first woman to work as a chemistry professor at the University of Hawaii. Alice Ball's contributions to science were recognized several years after her death.

 11 
Marjorie Lee Browne
(Mathematics Educator)
Marjorie Lee Browne
6
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: September 9, 1914
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Memphis
Died: October 19, 1979
 12 
Lynika Strozier
(Biologist)
Lynika Strozier
0
Listed In: Scientists
Birthdate: August 28, 1984
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Birmingham, Alabama, United States
Died: June 7, 2020
 13 
Evelyn Boyd Granville
(Mathematician)
Evelyn Boyd Granville
1
Listed In: Scientists
Birthdate: May 1, 1924
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Washington, D.C., United States
 14 
Asmeret Asefaw Berhe
(Eritrean Biogeochemist and Political Ecologist)
Asmeret Asefaw Berhe
0
Listed In: Scientists
Birthplace: Asmara, Eritrea
 15 
Arthur B. C. Walker Jr.
(Physicist)
Arthur B. C. Walker Jr.
0
Listed In: Scientists
Birthdate: August 24, 1936
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Cleveland, Ohio, United States
Died: April 29, 2001
 16 
Avery August
(American Scientist Known for His Work in the Field of Immunology and T Cells)
Avery August
1
Listed In: Scientists
Birthdate: December 28, 1964
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Belize City, Belize

Avery August is a Belizean-born American scientist best known for his work in the field of immunology and T cells. In 2016, he was honored with the Ruth Kirschstein Diversity in Science award for his contributions to the field of molecular biology and biochemistry. Avery August is currently working as a professor of immunology at Cornell University.

 17 
John Lee Love
(Inventor)
John Lee Love
0
Birthdate: September 26, 1889
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Fall River, Massachusetts, United States
Died: December 26, 1931