African American women who have had an impact on technology Shirley Ann Jackson played a vital role in advancements in touch-tone phones, portable fax machines, and fiber optic cables that ensure crystal-clear long-distance phone calls, her work contributed to those innovations . Jackson's parents supported her in her curiosity by helping her build things and come up with experiments. The 1950s space race heightened Jackson's interest in science and technology. Because she was underrepresented Shirley Ann Jackson didn't let that deter her she went along to become the first African-American woman to hold a doctorate from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in theoretical elementary particle physics, as well as the first to hold a doctorate from MIT in any subject. She is also the second woman of African descent in the country to receive a doctorate in physics. Mrs. Shirley Ann
African-American inventors who have contributed to technology Jesse Eugene Russell developed the idea for wireless digital communications and phones. Russell built a cell phone that could carry signals between phones and cell phone towers because mobile devices were mostly used in vehicles at the time. This would make mobile phones more functional as well as more affordable. Jesse Russell's inventions were vital in the development of the modern cellphone. Jesse comes from a large African-American family, which includes two sisters and eight brothers. His parents are Mary Louise Russell and Charles Albert Russell. His early years were spent in inner-city Nashville areas that were both socially and economically hopeless. Attending a summer educational program at Fisk University was a significant turning point in Russell's life. After graduating from Tennessee State University with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering, he was hired by Bell Labs. Russell's inventions, including