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An addendum to 1,000 inspiring Black scientists in America

Posted by Antentor O. Hinton Jr.

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On Inauguration Day, Amanda Gorman, the youngest inaugural poet in United States history, gave an ethereal vision of how we all should work together. Reading from the Capitol steps, she said, "There is always light if only we're brave enough to see it/If only we're brave enough to be it." 

The person who gave me strength to be the light was Nelson Mandela when he published The Struggle Is My Life. The book commemorates his actions as a Black South African man who restructured history and inspired millions by successfully fighting to end Apartheid in his country. I thought of this audacious effort of restructuring when I curated the first 100 inspiring Black scientists list.

The very first inkling to engineer the 100 inspiring Black scientists list came from a conversation I had with four of my mentors. While the idea was permeating, one mentor mentioned a list he'd assembled for a student of color who'd asked if he knew of any other black scientists. His list would be the catalyst for the 100 inspiring Black scientists list, the 100 more inspiring Black scientists list, and the subsequent 1,000 inspiring Black scientists list, which was curated with the assistance of the Community of Scholars

My mentors and I deliberated the challenges of what was going on in academia, and how Black scientists were seen as mythical. We also discussed the issue of visibility. I believe we have to change academia by debunking the Black scientists myth and make the accomplishments of these scientists more conspicuous.

I assisted in establishing the inspiring Black scientists lists to ease "The Struggle" for better representation and to start the conversation about reclaiming time and recognition for Black scientists in academia. I use The Struggle, like Mandela, as a euphemism to help bring awareness to the workplace racism that African/Black Americans deal with in their daily lives. The Struggle is a collective fight where everyone must work together using their God-given talents to move mountains in science.

Essentially, I believe this list will shine a light on the timely discoveries Black Scientists have made and the continuous impact they have on the scientific world we live in today. My mentors and I were enthusiastic to share these lists, but journals did not share our sentiment. This created a roadblock that added to our struggle as we worked to provide an authentic list of black scientists who deserved recognition for their contributions to science.

While I was working diligently to overcome the challenge of getting the 100 inspiring Black scientists list published, I listened to Sam Cooke's 1963 song, "A Change Is Gonna Come." It was then I realized that I am a voice in this fight we call The Struggle. The concept of The Struggle was made most famous by Tupac Shakur in his song "Fame," where he raps:

"No we ain't blood
But we still real brothers
The struggle is real
Nothing can steal
What we build
And that remains the same"  

With this song at the forefront of my mind, my colleagues and I persevered through our struggle for acceptance and after pitching the original 100 inspiring Black scientists list to innumerable science journals and magazines for more than a year, we found the perfect publisher to showcase the list in Cell Mentor. The list was compiled  to honor the Black scientists for their efforts in research, diversity and inclusion initiatives, advocacy, social justice outreach, teaching, and mentorship. The hope was that the list, as well as the two lists that followed, would serve as a reference for those looking for prominent scientific speakers who could further emphasize the importance of diversity.

The 1,200 names in those lists were compiled to celebrate the achievements of Black scientists, not to disparage anyone who didn't make it. There easily could have been 5,000 or even 10,000 names, and we could easily publish lists of that size every month without covering everyone. We wanted to use those 1,200 names to encourage the next generation to take what we'd given them and expand it. 

Still, we've found, over the year since the original 100 inspiring Black scientists list, that several crucial names have been omitted. To rectify this, I wanted to published an addendum to the 1,000 inspiring Black scientists list. This is to serve as a reference that many names were left off the list, but none go without notice. In the future, I hope that others can pick up the effort and continue to overcome The Struggle by featuring the best Black scientists our nation has to offer.  

Gaillard Photo Shawn Gaillard, PhD
Chief, Developmental and Cellular Processes Branch, Division of Genetics and Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology (GMCDB), National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS), NIH
Dr. Samuel Dgogo-Jack Samuel Dgogo-Jack, MD 
Professor of Medicine, Director of the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism, A. C. Mullins Chair in Translational Research, Director of the General Clinical Research Center, and Director of the Endocrinology Fellowship Training Program, University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center
Dr. L. Ebony Boulware L. Ebony Boulware, MD
Professor of Medicine, Chief of the Division of General Internal Medicine in the Department of Medicine, Vice Dean for Translational Science, and Associate Vice Chancellor for Research in the School of Medicine, Duke University
Dr. Chiadi Ericson Ndumele Chiadi Ericson Ndumele, MD, MHS, PhD
Robert E. Meyerhoff Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Dr. Rexford S. Ahima  Rexford S. Ahima, MD, PhD
Professor of Medicine, Director of the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Bloomberg Distinguished Professor of Diabetes in the Schools of Medicine, Public Health and Nursing, and Leader of the Johns Hopkins Diabetes Initiative, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Dr. Sherita Hill Golden Sherita Hill Golden, MD, MHS
Vice President, Chief Diversity Officer, and Professor of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Dr. Talmadge E. King, Jr.  Talmadge E. King, Jr., MD
Dean, School of Medicine, and Vice Chancellor, Medical Affairs, University of California, San Francisco
Dr. Sherry-Ann Bowie-Burnett Sherry-Ann Bowie-Burnett, MD, MPH
Associate Director of the MGH Center for Diversity and Inclusion, Director of Multicultural Affairs for the Department of Medicine, and  and Clinical Investigator in the Endocrine Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Assistant Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School
Dr. Herman A. Taylor Jr. Herman A. Taylor Jr., MD, MPH, FACC, FAHA 
Professor of Medicine and Director of the Cardiovascular Research Institute, Morehouse School of Medicine
Dr. Deidra Candice Crews Deidra Candice Crews, MD
Associate Professor of Medicine in the Division of Nephrology, Associate Vice Chair for Diversity and Inclusion, Associate Professor of Medicine, and Associate Director of the Center for Health Equity, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Dr. James R. Gavin, IIi James R. Gavin III, MD, PhD
Clinical Professor of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine; Clinical Professor of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine; and Chief Executive Officer and Chief Medical Officer, Healing Our Village, Inc.
Dr. Susanne B. Nicholas Susanne B. Nicholas, MD, PhD
Tenured Associate Professor of Medicine, Division of Nephrology, and Clinical Hypertension Specialist, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles
Dr. Garth Graham Garth Graham, MD
Vice President, Community Health and Impact, CVS Health, and President, Aetna Foundation
Dr. Augustus Grant Augustus Grant, MD, PhD
Professor of Medicine and Vice Dean for Faculty Enrichment, Duke University School of Medicine
Dr. Eldrin F. Lewis Eldrin F. Lewis, MD
Chief, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine and Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine, Stanford University Medical Center
Dr. Michelle A. Albert Michelle A. Albert, MD, MPH
Professor in Medicine, Associate Dean of Admissions for UCSF Medical School, and Director of the Center for the Study of Adversity and Cardiovascular Disease, University of California, San Francisco, 
Dr. Michael Rutledge DeBraun  Michael Rutledge DeBraun, MD, MPH 
Director, Vanderbilt-Meharry Center for Excellence in Sickle Cell Disease, Professor of Pediatrics and Medicine, Vice Chair for Clinical and Translational Research, Department of Pediatrics, and J.C. Peterson Chair in Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Dr. Kevin Lindsey Thomas Kevin Lindsey Thomas, MD
Associate Professor of Medicine and Member in the Duke Clinical Research Institute, Duke University School of Medicine
Dr. Andre L. Churchwell Andre L. Churchwell, MD
Vice Chancellor for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, Chief Diversity Officer, Inaugural Levi Watkins, Jr., M.D. Chair, Senior Associate Dean for Diversity Affairs in the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Professor of Medicine (Cardiology), Professor of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, and Professor of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University
Dr. Clyde Yancy Clyde Yancy, MD, Msc
Vice Dean for Diversity and Inclusion, Chief of Cardiology in the Department of Medicine, Magerstadt Professor, and Professor of Medicine (Cardiology) and Medical Social Sciences, Northwestern University 
Dr. Lewis R. Roberts Lewis R. Roberts, MD, PhD
Professor of Medicine and Consultant, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology,  Mayo Clinic
Dr. Ivor Benjamin Ivor Benjamin, MD
Director of the Cardiovascular Center, Co-director of the NIH T32 Postdoctoral Fellowship in Cardiovascular Sciences, Co-leader of the CVC's Signature Program in Precision Cardiovascular Medicine, and Professor of Medicine, Physiology, Pharmacology & Toxicology, Cell Biology, Neurobiology & Anatomy, and Surgery, Medical College of Wisconsin
Dr. Michael V. Drake Michael V. Drake, MD
21st President of the University of California
Dr. Paula Johnson Paula Johnson, MD 
President, Wellesley College; and Former Grayce A. Young Family Professor of Medicine in Women’s Health and Professor of Epidemiology, Harvard Medical School
Dr. Alexis Thompson Alexis Thompson, MD, MPH
Hematology Section Head, A. Watson and Sarah Armour Professorship in Childhood Cancer and Blood Diseases, and Professor of Pediatrics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
Dr. Cherie Butts Cherie Butts, PhD
Medical Director and Head of Clinical Assessments - Digital & Quantitative Medicine, Biogen
Dr. Maxwell Gyamfi  Maxwell Gyamfi, PhD
Professor and Research Scientist, Julius L. Chambers Biomedical/Biotechnology Research Institute, North Carolina Central University
Dr. Claudio Villanuevo  Claudio Villanuevo, PhD
Associate Professor, Department of Integrative Biology & Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles 
Dr. Tagbo H. R. Niepa Tagbo H.R. Niepa, PhD
Assistant Professor of Chem/Petroleum Engineering, Bioengineering Department, Civil & Environmental Engineer, Mechanical Engineering & Materials Science, University of Pittsburgh
Dr. Mike Oliphant Mike Uretz John Oliphant, PhD
Postdoctoral Fellow in Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School
Dr. Camille Powe Camille Powe, MD
Endocrinologist and Co-Director of MGH Diabetes in Pregnancy Program, Mass General Hospital 
Dr. Folasade P. May Folasade P. May, MD, PhD, MPhil
Director of the Melvin and Bren Simon Gastroenterology Quality Improvement Program, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Division of Digestive Diseases, Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Equity, and David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles 
Dr. Justin B. Echouffo Tcheugui Justin B. Echouffo Tcheugui, MD, MPhil., Ph.D
Assistant Professor of Medicine, Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center
Dr. Thomas Kofi Mensah Cudjoe Thomas Kofi Mensah Cudjoe, MD, MPH
Assistant Professor of Medicine, Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center