In honor of this year’s Black History Month theme, “African Americans and the Arts,” we are exploring the intersection of the Black arts and tech. We have curated a listicle of films that showcase how Black innovators have merged their artistic vision with technological processes. From the untold stories of African-American mathematicians in NASA to the futuristic visions of Afrofuturism, these films span a broad spectrum, reflecting the diversity and richness of Black contributions to technology. Hidden Figures This film tells the true story of three African American women working at
Black-owned startup The SMART Tire Company (STC) is calling on Black celebrities, investors, and engineers to help disrupt the global tire market industry at $300 billion. SMART tires: TIME’s Best Inventions STC is best known for its space-age tires, which are changing the way vehicles perform on and off the road. The tires were initially designed for NASA’s Mars Rover program, but STC was founded to commercialize this advanced tire technology as part of the FedTech NASA Startup Program. The company’s inaugural product is a high-performance, airless bicycle tire made
In celebration of Black History Month 2024, themed “African Americans and the Arts,” we wanted to focus on the Afrofuturism and it’s evolution and influence over the years. Afrofuturism is a movement that merges science fiction, tech, history, and African diaspora culture. Origins And Evolution Afrofuturism, a term coined by Mark Dery in 1993, has roots that trace back even before it was named. It represents a cultural, aesthetic, and philosophical movement encompassing science, technology, and the history of the African diaspora. As author and filmmaker Ytasha L. Womack described,
To mark Black History Month, a new game titled “Guess, Jerry!” has made its debut on the App Store. Created by Microsoft Senior Software Engineer Michael Curd, the app pays tribute to Jerry Lawson, who shaped modern video gaming. Father Of Video Game Cartridge Jerry is an AI buddy inspired by video game legend Jerry Lawson, who was often named the “Father of the video game cartridge”. Lawson was one of the first prominent African American figures in the gaming industry. As chief hardware engineer for Fairchild Semiconductor, Lawson steered
As Black History Month unfolds, BlackPast.org is offering a Civil Rights Black Power Timeline to showcase significant developments in the Black Freedom Struggle from 1905 to 1975. Founded on February 1, 2007, BlackPast offers in-depth reference information about people of African ancestry in the United States and worldwide. Now, it marks its 17th anniversary amidst growing acclaim, having welcomed nearly 60 million visitors since its inception. Celebrating the Civil Rights Movement: 1905-1975 This year, BlackPast shines a spotlight on the 20th-century Civil Rights Movement, covering the period from 1905 to
In recognition of this year’s Black History Month theme, African Americans and the Arts, we will explore the intersection of Black arts and tech throughout February. The origins of digital art can be traced back to ideologies present in the first half of the 20th century. While artists were keenly interested in innovations, the rich potential of modern technologies as tools in art only began to be explored as access increased in the 1950s and beyond. Digital art is a term used to describe art that is made or presented
Xbox has announced a partnership with Gameheads, a video game design program, to showcase Black-created games in recognition of Black History Month. Black-Created Games Dametra Johnson-Marletti, Corporate Vice President of Gaming Consumer Sales at Microsoft, announced the collaboration. She stated that video games have the potential to be a platform to preserve shared history and honor the stories of people of color in an engaging way that can disarm defenses and build empathy and understanding. “Gamers from underrepresented communities will not only feel like their voices are heard, but have a greater opportunity
This year’s Black History Month theme, African Americans and the Arts, invites us to delve into a rich cultural heritage. This month, we will be celebrating the diverse artistic contributions of African Americans across multiple domains and spotlighting the intersection of Black arts and technology. The Origins Of Black History Month Harvard-trained historian Carter G. Woodson founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (ASNLH) and announced Negro History Week in 1925. Woodson had hoped to raise awareness of African Americans’ contributions to civilization, and the event
