Roy Clay facts for kids

Roy L. Clay Sr. (born August 22, 1929 – died September 22, 2024) was an amazing American computer scientist and inventor. He helped start the computer part of Hewlett-Packard (HP). At HP, he led the team that built the HP 2116A, one of their first mini-computers. Later, he became the boss (Chief Executive Officer) of ROD-L Electronics. This company made important equipment to test electrical safety.

Roy Clay's Early Life and School

Roy Clay was born in Kinloch, Missouri. At that time, Kinloch was the oldest town in Missouri started by African Americans. During his summer breaks, he worked as a gardener. He faced unfair treatment because of his race. But his mother always told him not to let racism stop him from succeeding.

Clay went to a school just for African-American students. He later won a scholarship to study math at Saint Louis University (SLU). While at SLU, he dreamed of becoming a baseball player. In 1951, he became one of the first African-American students to graduate from SLU.

Roy Clay's Computer Career

After college, it was hard for Clay to find a job in technology. He even taught himself how to write computer programs. By 1958, he was a programmer at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). His first big project there was creating a system to track radiation. This system helped study what happened after a nuclear explosion. While working at LLNL, he met David Packard, one of the founders of HP. Packard encouraged Clay to apply for a job.

Clay then worked at Control Data Corporation. There, he created new Fortran compilers. These are special programs that turn computer code into instructions a computer can understand. In 1962, Clay moved to Palo Alto, California.

Starting the HP Computer Division

In 1965, Roy Clay joined Hewlett-Packard (HP). He helped launch and lead their new Computer Science division. He was in charge of the team that developed the HP 2116A. This was one of HP's very first mini-computers. Clay stayed at HP into the 1970s. He became the highest-ranking African-American employee there. He also started programs to help more African-Americans work in Silicon Valley.

Founding ROD-L Electronics

Roy Clay saw that electrical products needed to be tested for safety. So, in 1971, he left HP to start his own company. In 1977, he founded ROD-L Electronics in Menlo Park, California. This company makes equipment to test how safe electrical devices are.

Awards and Recognition

In 2002, the African American Museum and Library at Oakland honored Clay. They named him one of the most important African-Americans in technology. San Mateo County gave ROD-L Electronics an award for being a family-friendly employer. In 2003, Roy Clay was added to the Silicon Valley Hall of Fame.

Roy Clay's Personal Life

Roy Clay was married to Virginia Clay. They had three sons together. After his wife passed away in 1995, Clay started the Virginia Clay Annual Golf Classic. He was also active in local government. He was the first African-American to join the city council of Palo Alto. In 1976, he was chosen as the vice mayor. Clay wrote a book about his life called Unstoppable: The Unlikely Story of a Silicon Valley Godfather. He passed away on September 22, 2024, at 95 years old.