Glossary
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
A landmark civil rights law passed in 1990 that prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all areas of public life, including employment, transportation, and public accommodations.
Example:
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was a crucial step towards ensuring equal access and opportunities, mandating ramps, accessible restrooms, and reasonable accommodations in workplaces.
Black hospital movement
A mid-20th century initiative by African Americans to establish and operate their own hospitals, addressing the severe lack of access to quality healthcare for Black communities due to segregation.
Example:
The Black hospital movement was a powerful response to systemic discrimination, creating vital medical institutions where Black patients could receive dignified care and Black professionals could practice.
Booker T. Washington
An influential educator and leader who founded the Tuskegee Institute, which played a significant role in training Black nurses and other professionals.
Example:
Through the Tuskegee Institute, Booker T. Washington championed vocational training, including programs that equipped many African American women to become skilled nurses.
Charles Drew
A brilliant surgeon and medical researcher who revolutionized blood banking and transfusion techniques, developing methods for long-term blood plasma storage and large-scale blood banks.
Example:
The ability to store and transport blood plasma for transfusions, saving countless lives in emergencies and wartime, is largely due to the innovative work of Dr. Charles Drew.
Christine Darden
A NASA data analyst and aerospace engineer who specialized in sonic boom minimization, contributing significantly to quieter supersonic flight technology.
Example:
The quest for quieter supersonic travel was greatly advanced by Christine Darden's research, as she meticulously worked to reduce the disruptive effects of sonic booms.
Community-based healthcare systems
Healthcare initiatives established by African Americans, often in underserved communities, to provide accessible and non-segregated medical care, emphasizing early diagnosis and prevention.
Example:
During times of segregation, the establishment of community-based healthcare systems was crucial for providing essential medical services to Black populations who were often denied care elsewhere.
Daniel Hale Williams
A pioneering surgeon who founded Provident Hospital (the first Black-owned hospital in the U.S.) in 1891 and performed one of the world's first successful open-heart surgeries in 1893.
Example:
Dr. Daniel Hale Williams not only established a hospital where Black patients and professionals were welcome but also achieved a medical first with his groundbreaking heart surgery.
Eugenics
A pseudoscientific movement, prominent in the early 20th century, that advocated for selective breeding to 'improve' the human population, often leading to forced sterilization and discrimination against marginalized groups.
Example:
The dark history of eugenics led to horrific practices like forced sterilization, disproportionately targeting Black women and people with disabilities under the guise of 'improving' society.
Forced sterilization programs
Government-sanctioned initiatives, often rooted in eugenics, that coercively sterilized individuals deemed 'unfit' to reproduce, disproportionately targeting Black women and people with disabilities.
Example:
The tragic legacy of forced sterilization programs reveals a dark chapter in American history where reproductive rights were denied to vulnerable populations, particularly Black women.
Garrett Morgan
An African American inventor known for creating the improved gas mask and the three-position traffic light, both of which significantly enhanced public safety.
Example:
The modern traffic light system we use today owes its efficiency and safety to the pioneering work of Garrett Morgan, whose invention helped regulate urban traffic flow.
George Washington Carver
An influential agricultural scientist and inventor who developed hundreds of uses for crops like peanuts, soybeans, and sweet potatoes, significantly improving farming practices in the South.
Example:
Thanks to George Washington Carver's innovative methods, farmers learned how to prevent soil depletion and diversify their crops, transforming agricultural sustainability.
HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities)
Institutions of higher education established before 1964 with the primary mission of educating Black Americans, playing a crucial role in training Black medical professionals.
Example:
Without the dedication of HBCUs like Meharry Medical College, generations of Black doctors and nurses would not have received the training necessary to serve their communities.
Intersectionality
A framework for understanding how various social and political identities (such as race, gender, class, and disability) combine to create unique modes of discrimination and privilege.
Example:
Understanding the intersectionality of race and disability helps us see how a Black woman with a disability might face distinct challenges that differ from those faced by a white man with a disability.
Katherine Johnson
A pioneering NASA mathematician whose precise calculations of orbital mechanics were critical to the success of early U.S. crewed spaceflights, including the Apollo missions.
Example:
The safe return of astronauts from space was often dependent on the meticulous and groundbreaking calculations performed by Katherine Johnson, a true human computer.
Kizzmekia Corbett
A viral immunologist who played a central role in the development of the Moderna COVID-19 mRNA vaccine, contributing significantly to global public health.
Example:
During the global pandemic, Dr. Kizzmekia Corbett's expertise was instrumental in the rapid development of the mRNA vaccine, a monumental achievement in modern medicine.
Lewis Latimer
An inventor and draftsman who made significant contributions to the development of the light bulb, creating a carbon filament that allowed for longer-lasting and more efficient bulbs.
Example:
Without Lewis Latimer's crucial improvements to the carbon filament, widespread electrification might have been delayed, as his work made light bulbs more practical for everyday use.
Mae Jemison
A physician and engineer who became the first African American woman to travel to space in 1992 aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour.
Example:
Inspired by Nichelle Nichols from Star Trek, Mae Jemison not only became a doctor but also shattered barriers as the first African American woman to orbit the Earth.
Mary Eliza Mahoney
The first licensed African American nurse in the United States, who broke racial barriers in the nursing profession and advocated for equal opportunities.
Example:
As the first licensed African American nurse, Mary Eliza Mahoney opened doors for countless others, demonstrating excellence in a profession that was often unwelcoming to Black women.
Mary Jackson
NASA's first Black female engineer, who made significant contributions to supersonic flight research and worked to help other women and minorities advance in STEM careers.
Example:
Breaking through racial and gender barriers, Mary Jackson's engineering expertise was vital to understanding aerodynamics, paving the way for faster and safer aircraft.
National Medical Association (NMA)
Founded in 1895, this organization was established to promote the interests of Black physicians and address health disparities, as Black doctors were often excluded from mainstream medical associations.
Example:
The National Medical Association (NMA) provided a vital professional home and advocacy platform for Black physicians who faced discrimination and exclusion from other medical societies.
Onesimus
An enslaved man in colonial Boston who introduced the practice of variolation (an early form of vaccination) to Cotton Mather, which helped control smallpox outbreaks.
Example:
The life-saving practice of variolation, which significantly reduced smallpox mortality, was introduced to the American colonies by Onesimus, an enslaved African.
Otis Boykin
An inventor whose most notable contribution was the development of improved electrical resistors, which were crucial components in various electronic devices, including computers and pacemakers.
Example:
The tiny, yet vital, resistors found in life-saving medical devices like pacemakers are a testament to the ingenuity of Otis Boykin, whose inventions advanced both technology and healthcare.
Systemic oppression
The pervasive and deeply embedded discrimination and mistreatment of a group within a society, often reinforced by institutions, policies, and cultural norms.
Example:
Black people with disabilities faced compounded challenges due to systemic oppression, experiencing discrimination not only based on race but also on their physical or mental abilities.