Black Inventors

He invented over 300 uses for the peanut and developed methods to prevent soil depletion.

He was made a member British Royal Society of Arts — a rare honor for an American – and advised prominent leaders like Mahatma Gandhi and President Teddy Roosevelt on agriculture and nutrition.

He was inducted into the National Academy of the Sciences, National Inventors Hall of Fame and the American Chemical Society for his lasting work.

She was the second black woman ever to be employed by the Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division and was inducted into the United States Air Force Hall of Fame—one of the highest honors awarded by the Air Force.

During her degree she was a Mechanical Engineer for Thames Water, where she worked on clean water treatment sites. In 2007 she was employed by Arup Group as a Design Engineer designing water supplies and water management systems. Whilst working for Arup, she earned a master’s degree from Cranfield University in 2011.  Akinola is a prominent voice in the movement to increase diversity within engineering.

When the First World War broke out in 1914, he naturally wanted to use his skills to help with the war effort.

But despite his qualifications and experience, he was rejected outright by the Royal Army Medical Corps in 1914 because of his ‘colonial origin’.

Following the war, Dr Alcindor – a long-term resident of Paddington – became a senior district medical officer for the area.

Renowned for his devotion to patients, whatever their origin or race, he became known locally as the celebrated ‘black doctor of Paddington’.

She attended La Sainte Union Convent School in North London. She has dyslexia and, as a child, when she told a teacher she wanted to be an astronaut, it was suggested she try nursing, “because that’s scientific, too”.  She gained four A-Levels in maths, physics, chemistry, and biology. She studied at Imperial College London, graduated with a B.Sc in Physics in 1990, and completed her Ph.D in Mechanical Engineering 1994.

Charlotte read Medicinal Chemistry at the University of Sussex, 1988-1991. She completed an MSc in Biochemical Pharmacology at the University of Southampton, 1994-1995, worked as a Research Technician in the School of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, University of Bath then completed a PhD (1996-2000) in ‘Food Biophysics’ at the Institute of Food Research [IFR], Norwich

He came to England where he enrolled at the London Hospital on 22 September 1905.

Brown had worked as a dresser for Jonathan Hutchinson, a well-known surgeon, Oct-Dec 1909; and also at the London Hospital, as a clinical clerk for Dr later Lord Dawson, who became King George V’s physician.

Dr Brown started his medical practice at 115 King Edward Road (Post Office London Directory, 1916) then to 96 Lauriston Road, moving to number 63 (Post Office London Directory, 1921). For over seventy years this was home to four black doctors – Brown, his son Gerald, Colin Franklin (born Barbados) and Franklin’s daughter.

Brown was well known to other Black folk, especially after he established an all-black cricket team, the Africs, by the 1920s. He knew lawyer Samuel Spencer Alfred Cambridge (born British Guiana) by 1913, and also Dr John Alcindor (born Trinidad, a practitioner in west London, and keen cricketer) at that time. His team lacked a playing field so all games were away – the students, lawyers and doctors were free one day a week and Saturdays.

During the 50s and 60s, Dr Goffe was one of a group of microbiologists who helped develop and improve vaccines designed to fight two of the world’s most deadly infectious diseases: polio and measles. But less than a year after he established his own department at the Wellcome Research Laboratories, he was tragically killed in a yachting accident, aged just 46.

Ron invented the Eco-charger.  The eco-charger improves the performance of diesel cars because it reduces smoke emission, fuel consumption and allows car to run for 150,000 miles without major maintenance.

In 1904 he came to London to study medicine, and in February 1913 he set up his own successful practice in Peckham. The racial prejudice he faced as a student and then as a qualified doctor motivated his campaign for the rights of Black people.

In March 1931 he became one of the founders of the League of Coloured Peoples. Its aims were to highlight the problems and successes of Black people, to challenge racial discrimination and fight for equality. He served as the League’s President until his death in 1947.

She was shadow minister for Industrial Strategy, Science and Innovation under Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn from October 2016 until 9 April 2020, when she was appointed as shadow minister for Science, Research & Digital by new leader Keir Starmer.

Onwurah graduated from Imperial College London in 1987 with a degree in Electrical Engineering. She worked in hardware and software development, product management, market development and strategy for a variety of mainly private sector companies in a number of different countries – the UK, France, the United States, Nigeria and Denmark while studying for an MBA at Manchester Business School. Prior to entering Parliament, Onwurah was Head of Telecoms Technology at Ofcom, with a focus on broadband provision.

She is best known for her groundbreaking research for the novel field of gene therapy applications and her public science engagement work, especially The Rocket show which is a live science show for Keys Stage 2 and 3 science at The Science Museum London.

In 1998, Palmer became the fourth person, and the first European, to be honoured with the American Society of Brewing Chemists Award of Distinction, considered the “Nobel prize of brewing”.

In 1989, he became the first black professor in Scotland, becoming a professor emeritus after he retired in 2005. He was knighted in the 2014 New Year Honours.

Mark is also an active member of Imperial As One – the Universities’ Race Equality Advisory Group, and has been involved in numerous widening participation and outreach programs that aim to encourage more students from diverse backgrounds to pursue science and engineering as career choices.

Russell was born in British Guiana (now Guyana) to a Scottish father and a mother of African descent.

Russell was privately educated in Scotland and studied medicine and surgery at Edinburgh University between 1882 – 1886. He was an exceptional scholar and his Edinburgh Doctorate of Medicine was awarded the gold medal for outstanding achievement in 1893.

Born in Guyana, South America, she came to England aged 11. She graduated from University College London in 1992.

His goal is to inspire students in schools with a new way of Inventing.  Tony is a member of NELC (National Employers Liaison Committee) working to bridge the gap between Education & the world of Business & Industry.

In 1955,  Arthur Wint went  back  to  Jamaica.  He  worked  as  the  only  doctor and  surgeon  in Hanover Parish for many years, and in 1973 was awarded the Jamaican Order of Distinction for his service to charities, schools and business.

His recognitions include the Prime Minister’s National Medal in Science & Technology, Order of Jamaica, and Commander of the Order of Distinction. Dr. Lowe is a scientist, author, educator, and successful entrepreneur. He was educated at the University of the West Indies, University of Sydney (MSc), Manchester University (PhD), Harvard University, and MIT.

She holds in total eight patents for different commercially useful processes.