Code.org celebrates Black History Month

Change the Face of Computer Science

Code.org is celebrating Black History Month by lifting up Black voices on the importance of computer science. We need to provide Black students more opportunity and inspiration to learn and take part in defining the future of technology and our society. Please watch this video with the students in your life and join us in our celebration and our mission!

Join us for our panel on encouraging Black students to participate in CS
Check out the data on Black student participation in CS below
Learn about Black pioneers in CS history
Share some of our other inspirational videos
Help us bring computer science to your school
Support the Black Voices Fund

Panel: Recruiting Black teachers and students into CS

Code.org will be hosting a series of panel presentations on Black Leaders' voices in Computer Science (CS) Education throughout 2021. The themes of the panel presentations will each focus on a specific aspect of increasing representation of Black and African American teachers and students in the field of Computer Science Education.

Our first panel is slated to take place on Friday, February 26th, 11:00 am - noon PST as we continue our celebration of "Black History Month and Beyond".

During the panel we will explore the 'WHY' for having focused recruitment of Black students and teachers in CS Education. Each panelist is a subject matter expert in this topic representing industry, community engagement, academia and school teachers.

Featuring:

Moderator:
LeoLin Bowen
Education Programs, Code.org

Moderator:
Dr. Sabine Thomas
Education Programs, Code.org

Panelist:
Rashad Norris
Executive Director, Relevant Engagement LLC

Panelist:
Dr. Bryan Brown
Associate Professor of Science Education, Stanford University

Panelist:
Trish Millines Dziko
Co-founder & Executive Director, TAF (Technology Access Foundation)

Black pioneers in computer science history

Annie Easley

One of the first African-Americans computer scientists at NASA. Leading member of the team that developed the software for the Centaur rocket stage.

Clarence "Skip" Ellis

First African-American to earn a Ph.D. in Computer Science. A pioneer in groupware and technology that enables real-time collaborative editing of documents.

Dorothy Vaughn

Mathematician and "human computer" at NACA then NASA. The first African-American woman group supervisor at the Langley Research Center. Awarded the Congressional Gold Medal in 2019.

Evelyn Boyd Granville

Second African-American woman to receive a Ph.D. in Mathematics from an American University. Wrote programs at IBM that helped analyze satellite orbits and later worked on NASA's Apollo program.

Jerry Lawson

Electronic engineer that lead the team at Fairchild that pioneered the commercial video game cartridge. Dubbed by some as the "Father of Modern Gaming."

Katherine Johnson

35-year career at NACA/NASA, working on Project Mercury, the Apollo program, the Space Shuttle program, and plans for mission to Mars. Awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2015.

Mark Dean

Computer engineer who led a design team for making a one-gigahertz computer processor chip. Holds three of nine patents as the co-creator of the IBM PC released in 1981.

Melba Roy Mouton

Assistant. Chief of Research Programs at NASA's Trajectory and Geodynamics Division in the 1960s. Head Computer Programmer and then Program Production Section Chief at Goddard Space Flight Center.

Roy Clay Sr

Founding member of the computer division at Hewlett-Packard, leading the team that created the HP 2116A. Founder and CEO of ROD-L Electronics. Member Silicon Valley Engineering Council's Hall of Fame.

Data on Black student engagement with computer science

Black parents feel CS is important

78% of Black parents/guardians agree that learning computer science is very important or important, compared to 68% of white parents or guardians and 67% of Hispanic/Latino parents or guardian. Source

Black students are interested in CS

88% of Black students say they are interested in learning CS in the future compared to 80% of white and 84% of Hispanic/Latino students. Source

Black students have less access to CS

Black students, along with Hispanic/Latino students, and Native American students are less likely to attend a school that teaches a foundational computer science course

However, Black students, along with Hispanic/Latino students, and Native American students are less likely to attend a school that teaches a foundational computer science course. Source

Black students are underrepresented in CS

Disparities in participation in AP Computer Science by Black students along with students from other underrepresented groups

While participation in AP computer science courses continues to grow, a deeper look at AP computer science exams illuminates the disparities in participation by Black students along with students from other underrepresented groups. Source