African-American women in computer science facts for kids
African-American women have played a big part in computer science, right from the early days of computing in the United States. Many amazing Black women continue to work in this field today. They have helped shape how we use computers and technology.
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A Look Back: The Start of Computing
In the past, African-American women were hired as mathematicians. They did important calculations for space travel and other research. For example, Katherine Johnson and Dorothy Vaughan worked at NASA for many years. Katherine Johnson famously calculated the path for the first American space mission in 1961. This was a huge achievement! She even co-authored 26 science papers. Back then, usually only the head of a department got credit. So, it was very special for Katherine to be listed as an author.
Black women also helped program the very first digital computer for the US Army, called ENIAC. Their stories are not always well-known. It is very likely that many other Black women made important contributions to computer science that we don't know about yet.
Computer science became a proper academic subject later on. In 1982, Marsha Rhea Williams made history. She became the first Black woman to earn a doctorate degree in computer science. This is the highest degree you can get in a subject.
In the mid-1980s, about 40% of people in computer science were women. This number has gone down since then. Some people think this happened because personal computers and video games were mostly marketed to boys.
The number of women in computing has dropped for all races in the U.S. However, the number of Black women in this field has always been lower than white women. For example, in 1985, when many women were in computing, less than 8% were Black women. In 2017, two computer scientists, Timnit Gebru and Rediet Abebe, started something called Black in AI. This group helps more Black people get involved in artificial intelligence (AI).
How Many Black Women Work in Computer Science?
The number of Black women in computer science has historically been low. For example, in 2008, only 10 Black women earned a doctorate degree in computer science. This was the highest number recorded in one year between 1977 and 2013.
In 2012, a survey showed that very few Black/African American computer science professors worked at universities that give PhDs. This shows there is still a need for more Black women in leading roles in computer science.
Inspiring Black Women in Computer Science
Here is a list of some notable Black women who have made a difference in computer science:
- Rediet Abebe
- Monica Anderson
- Donna Auguste
- Erica Baker
- Carlotta Berry
- Aisha Bowe
- Khalia Braswell
- Meredith Broussard
- Kimberly Bryant
- Joy Buolamwini
- Shaundra Daily
- Tawanna Dillahunt
- Annie Easley
- Carol Espy-Wilson
- Timnit Gebru
- Evelyn Boyd Granville
- Ayanna Howard
- Mary Jackson
- Katherine Johnson
- Miriam D. Mann
- Yeshimabeit Milner
- Melba Roy Mouton
- Victoria Chibuogu Nneji
- Andrea Grimes Parker
- Kristen Ransom
- Lyndsey Scott
- Nashlie Sephus
- Window Snyder
- Latanya Sweeney
- Valerie Taylor
- Dorothy Vaughan
- Talitha Washington
- Alicia Nicki Washington
- Gladys West
- Marsha Rhea Williams
Black Women in Movies and Books
You might know about some of these amazing women from a popular book and movie. Margot Lee Shetterly wrote a book called Hidden Figures: The Story of the African-American Women Who Helped Win the Space Race in 2016. This book tells the story of Katherine Johnson and other African-American women at NASA.
The book was made into a movie, also called Hidden Figures, in 2016. In the movie, Taraji P. Henson plays Katherine Johnson, Octavia Spencer plays Dorothy Vaughan, and Janelle Monáe plays Mary Jackson.
See Also
- Black in AI
- Women in computing
- African-American scientists
