Honoring Juneteenth Through Black Contributions to American Society
By Levon Whyte, Senior Energy Program Manager
Juneteenth — June 19, 1865 — marked a pivotal moment in American history: the day when the last enslaved African Americans in Galveston, Texas, were finally informed of their freedom. After more than two centuries of being primarily bound to working in cane and cotton fields, the journey of liberation began for African Americans. With that freedom came increased opportunities to create and innovate, to dream and aspire.
Despite the immense challenges that followed — lack of access to education, capital and the rise of Jim Crow laws — Black scientists, engineers and inventors continued to make profound contributions to American society. Their innovations laid the groundwork for much of the technology and infrastructure we rely on today.
I think of Elijah McCoy, whose 57 patents in mechanical engineering, including a revolutionary lubrication system for steam engines, earned him the nickname “the real McCoy.” I think of George Washington Carver, whose pioneering work in agricultural science transformed farming practices and introduced sustainable crop rotation. I think of Hattie Scott Peterson, noted as the first Black woman to earn a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering in the United States, who worked as a survey and cartographic engineer for the U.S. Geological Survey and later as the first woman engineer to work for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. I also think of Archie Alexander, a civil engineer whose work helped shape the roads and bridges of Washington, D.C. These are just a few of the many brilliant minds who rose despite the odds.
As I reflect, I can’t help but wonder: how much further along might our nation — and the world — be if these minds had not been constrained for so long? How many precocious ideas were lost to slavery? How much progress was delayed by centuries of oppression? We may never know the full cost.
Historian Mitch Kachun has said that celebrations like Juneteenth serve three purposes: “to celebrate, to educate and to agitate.” This Juneteenth, let us celebrate the journey of liberation and the progress it has brought, not just for African Americans, but for all of us. Let us continue to educate ourselves about our shared history, so we do not repeat the mistakes of the past. And most importantly, let us disrupt and dismantle the systems that still stifle opportunities for innovation, equity and belonging. Let us shake open the doors of access and equity, so that every person, regardless of race, background or circumstance, has the chance to contribute to our collective progress.
