Black Americans have influenced every branch of science for hundreds of years. During the month of February—and all year long— you can teach students about famous Black History figures in areas like space exploration, health, and engineering in your science classes.

• Meet influential Black inventors and scientists
• See how Black STEM leaders are changing the world
• Learn more about health advocacy in the Black community

[Meet influential Black inventors and scientists](id-inventors)

There isn’t an area of science that hasn’t benefited from the contributions of Black scientists. Learn more about their discoveries and achievements:

• Meet astronauts like Dr. Mae C. Jemison and Robert Lawrence Jr. and see how they were trailblazers for Black scientists in space.
• Learn about the life and legacy of inventor George Washington Carver, who developed over 100 products, like plastics and gasoline, from peanut crops.
• Discover the work theoretical physicist James Gates is doing to explain complex scientific ideas in a way that everyone can understand.

[See how Black STEM leaders are changing the world](id-stem)

 See how Black people are changing the world through STEM in roles like:

• Planetary geophysicist
• Meteorologist in charge
• Robot designer
• Thermal systems engineer
• Urban planner

Have students explore these and other career paths through the eyes of real people making a difference. Then have them brainstorm other STEM careers that they may want to pursue when they’re older.

[Learn more about health advocacy in the Black community](id-health)

The Black experience is often underrepresented in healthcare and medical communities. Teach students about those striving for more equitable physical and mental health care with articles on topics like:

• How students exposed to racism have higher risk of depression and sickness.
• Why the coronavirus response was different for Black Americans.
• How undergrad scientists designed new electrodes to make health research more racially inclusive.

Go further with your Black History Month lessons

We hope these resources help your students see themselves mirrored in these scientists’ experiences and provide windows into the lives of others with different goals and histories. But the lessons don’t have to stop here.

If you’re not a Newsela customer, sign up for Newsela Lite for free. Then, you can start your 45-day trial of our premium content to access everything you need to teach about nearly any Heritage Month or historical event in your classroom.

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