BHM Periodic Table @ The Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences

BHM Periodic Table - Famous Firsts

Famous Firsts

In February, UC Irvine’s Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences (ICS) celebrates Black History Month by highlighting pioneers in science and technology and sharing resources to expand diversity in tech. This year, we’re following the lead of Dana Boone, a student in Florida who, in 2021, put up at a display at his elementary school of the Periodic Table of Black History, created in 2019 by staff members at the Lakeland Public Library in Florida. Using that model as a foundation, we’ve created our own version, and here are the famous firsts included:

4 MA Marian Anderson was first African American singer to perform as a member of the Metropolitan Opera in New York City. Many viewed her as the world’s greatest contralto. (2.27.1897 – 4.8.1993)

12 MC Misty Copeland was the first African American Female Principal Dancer with the prestigious American Ballet Theatre. Her memoir Life in Motion: An Unlikely Ballerina was a New York Times best seller.

20 MJ Mae Jemison is an American physician and the first African American woman to become an astronaut. In 1992, she spent more than a week orbiting Earth in the space shuttle Endeavour.

38 RLJ Robert Louis Johnson is the founder of Black Entertainment Television (BET) and the first African American majority owner of a major professional sports team in the U.S.

56 SM Simone Manuel became, in 2016, the first Black American woman to win an individual Olympic gold medal in swimming.

74 TM Thurgood Marshall played an instrumental role in promoting racial equality during the civil rights movement and was the first African American Supreme Court justice. (7.2.1908 – 1.24.1993)

75 BO Barack Obama was elected President of the United States in 2008, becoming the first African American to hold the office. In 2009, Obama became the fourth president to receive the Nobel Peace Prize.

76 KH Kamala Harris is the first woman, the first Black American, and the first South Asian American to be elected Vice President of the United States.

77 RJB Ralph J. Bunche was the first African American and person of color to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. He received the award for negotiating the 1949 Armistice Agreements between Israel and four Arab states. (8.7.1904 – 12.9.1971)

78 JR Jackie Robinson was the first Black baseball player to play in the American major leagues during the 20th century. He led the Dodgers to six league championships and one World Series victory. (1.31.1919 – 10.24.1972)

79 TLJ Thomas L. Jennings was first Black man to receive a patent when, on March 3, 1821, he was awarded US Patent 3306x for his discovery of a process called dry-scouring — the forerunner of today’s modern dry-cleaning. (1.1.1791 – 2.13.1856)

80 SEG Sarah E. Goode was one of the first African-American women to obtain a patent in the U.S. In 1885, she was awarded US Patent 322,177 for a folding cabinet bed. (She shares the distinction with Judy Reed, who invented a dough-kneading machine, and Miriam Benjamin, who invented hotel chair that signaled the service of a waiter). (1855 – 4.8.1905)

81 GB Guion Bluford was a mission specialist aboard the space shuttle Challenger in 1983, making him the first African American to travel into space.

82 GEB Gwendolyn Elizabeth Brooks was the first African American poet to win the Pulitzer Prize (1950), and in 1968 she was named the poet laureate of Illinois. (6.7.1917 – 12.3.2000)

Return to Periodic Table

4	MA	Marian Anderson was first African American singer to perform as a member of the Metropolitan Opera in New York City. Many viewed her as the world’s greatest contralto. (2.27.1897 – 4.8.1993)
12	MC	Misty Copeland was the first African American Female Principal Dancer with the prestigious American Ballet Theatre. Her memoir Life in Motion: An Unlikely Ballerina was a New York Times best seller.
20	MJ	Mae Jemison is an American physician and the first African American woman to become an astronaut. In 1992, she spent more than a week orbiting Earth in the space shuttle Endeavour.
38	RLJ	Robert Louis Johnson is the founder of Black Entertainment Television (BET) and the first African American majority owner of a major professional sports team in the U.S.
56	SM	Simone Manuel became, in 2016, the first Black American woman to win an individual Olympic gold medal in swimming.
74	TM	Thurgood Marshall played an instrumental role in promoting racial equality during the civil rights movement and was the first African American Supreme Court justice. (7.2.1908 – 1.24.1993)
75	BO	Barack Obama was elected President of the United States in 2008, becoming the first African American to hold the office. In 2009, Obama became the fourth president to receive the Nobel Peace Prize.
76	KH	Kamala Harris is the first woman, the first Black American, and the first South Asian American to be elected Vice President of the United States.
77	RJB	Ralph J. Bunche was the first African American and person of color to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. He received the award for negotiating the 1949 Armistice Agreements between Israel and four Arab states. (8.7.1904 – 12.9.1971)
78	JR	Jackie Robinson was the first Black baseball player to play in the American major leagues during the 20th century. He led the Dodgers to six league championships and one World Series victory. (1.31.1919 – 10.24.1972)
79	TLJ	Thomas L. Jennings was first Black man to receive a patent when, on March 3, 1821, he was awarded US Patent 3306x for his discovery of a process called dry-scouring — the forerunner of today’s modern dry-cleaning. (1.1.1791 – 2.13.1856)
80	SEG	Sarah E. Goode was one of the first African-American women to obtain a patent in the U.S. In 1885, she was awarded US Patent 322,177 for a folding cabinet bed. (She shares the distinction with Judy Reed, who invented a dough-kneading machine, and Miriam Benjamin, who invented hotel chair that signaled the service of a waiter). (1855 – 4.8.1905)
81	GB	Guion Bluford was a mission specialist aboard the space shuttle Challenger in 1983, making him the first African American to travel into space.
82	GEB	Gwendolyn Elizabeth Brooks was the first African American poet to win the Pulitzer Prize (1950), and in 1968 she was named the poet laureate of Illinois. (6.7.1917 – 12.3.2000)