Bridging the Two Cultures

Abstract

Generally, historians of science have not recognized the contributions of Black scientists and inventors. National Inventors Hall of Fame has, so far, rejected the nominations of Black inventors for membership (Inventors Hall, 1986). But a number of scholars and writers-Carter G. Woodson (1928), Christy Borth (1942), Robert Hayden (1970), Louis Haber (1970), Thelma Perkins,' Ivan Van Sertima (1983), and Kenneth Manning (1983) among them -argue that, by any standards, contributions by American Black scientists and inventors have been meritorious and, in some instances, revolutionary. For instance, theories formulated by Ernest Just established for the time the importance of the cytoplasm in cellular activities (Manning, 1983). Borth (1942) noted that the real importance of the works of George Washington Carver was that he was the first and greatest chemurgist. In synthesizing cortisone and other drugs from the then-lowly regarded soybean, Percy Julian helped improve the quality of life of the masses (Bims, 1975), but perhaps more important, he revealed new possibilities in the expanding field of biochemistry. During the early stages of the industrial revolution, machines had to be shut down periodically to lubricate them. In the process, accidental injuries, particularly to fingers and limbs, were an ever present hazard. That changed considerably when Elijah (of The Real McCoy fame) invented a device that could lubricate machines, including the iron horse, or train locomotive, without stopping them (Hayden, 1970). resulting benefits to industrial progress were significant. It was Jan Matzeliger's shoe-