I deliberately did not title this article "African Contributions to Science". The word contribution is couched in a western value-system that suggests that a scientific feat can only be considered a contribution if the domain of its effect is world-wide, and if it has significant commercial value. Africans like many other civilizations - the Mayas - the Incas - the Chinese - used what is known today as "science" to further an understanding of their existence, and to develop various implements for use in their daily lives. It is important to note that in the past, African scientific genius was not individual, but rather communal in nature. As a result, there were no journal publications or patents - western symbols of individual ownership. A comprehensive unbiased history of science, however, will inevitably shed light on the scientific genius of African societies. Note also, I am not suggesting that Africans were the only ones with scientific genius. Instead, my aim is to counter the subtle and not so subtle agenda, which through omision of African references in science text, continues to perpetuate a belief that African societies had little to do with science. Need I remind you of the Pyramids?One professor of anthropology and engineering announced to the world, that Africans living on the western shores of Lake Victoria in Tanzania had produced carbon steel for centuries. An astronomical observatory which was uncovered in Kenya was dated 300 years BC. The Dogon people in the highlands of Mali have known and understood the Sirius star system for centuries, and were aware of the small dark star Sirius B (invisible to the naked eye) which orbits Sirius A every 60 years. The Dogon people have an elaborate ceremony once every sixty years to coincide with the completion of an orbit of Sirius B. Western astronomers, who only discovered Sirius B very recently, dismiss the Dogon knowledge as mere coincidence.
The astronomical knowledge of many African societies (Egyptians, the Dogons, the Yorubas, etc.) was accompanied by a complex mathematical system. Further, the trading nature of Africans required the existence of a numbering system. Evidence of the use of a numbering system in Africa was found on a bone 8000 yrs. old. The Yorubas have a mathematical system which would baffle most mathematicians.
In navigation, Africans built many sophisticated vessels for traveling the Nile and Niger river. These vessels were used to carry out trade between the several empires: between the west coast and Lake Chad, between Mali and the Songhay empires, between Jenné and Timbuktu. The Chinese recorded Africans coming to the Court of China with elephants in such vessels in the thirteenth century. There is evidence that African navigational ingenuity brought them to the Americas before Columbus.
There were other African feats in agricultural science, writing systems, and of course, medical science. The Egyptian Imhotep is the first known medical doctor. African plant medicine involved a complex body of knowledge related to the diagnosis of diseases, anesthetics, antiseptics, and vaccination. African doctors were also well-versed in surgical procedures and techniques. The Bantu used the bark of a plant Salix Capensis to treat musculoskeletal pains. This family of plants yielded salicylic acid the active ingredient in aspirin. In Mali, an effective cure for diarrhea used kaolin, the active ingredient in Kaopectate. African doctors also pioneered the use of herbal treatments in the treatment of psychosis. Many of the herbs used contained tranquilizers. African medical practice have always emphasized holism as a philosophy. Western medicine only now attempting to adopt this philosophy.
Closer to the Caribbean, in America, Africans have had several feats in the field of science and invention. In accordance with the saying, "necessity is the mother of invention", many enslaved Africans who were skilled artisans and craftspersons, designed implements to make their work easier. Not being recognized as humans under US law, many were unable to register and patent their inventions. Once freed, they were able to do so. At the turn of the century, an American trade exhibit in Paris wanted to feature a "Negro Exhibit". The US patent office put out a call for any information on inventions by African Americans. An overwhelming response produced some 400 inventions by more some 190 inventors. Some of these late 1800 registered patents included: lawn mower, street sweepers, car coupler, train alarm, self-setting animal trap, valves for steam engine, the golf tee, foot power hammer, bread crumbing machine, shoe lasting machine, lubricator for steam engines, fertilizer distributor, clothes drier, fire escape ladder, and a paper bag machine. Elijah McCoy, after whom the phrase "The real McCoy" is coined, had some 25 patents to his name between 1872 - 1899.
Some other well-known African American inventors in addition to Elijah McCoy, include: Lewis Latimer who developed production techniques for making carbon filaments for bulbs, and designed a cotton filament that made it possible to bring electric light to homes. Latimer also drew the plans for Alexander Graham Bell’s telephone. Garrett Morgan invented the first automatic street light and a smoke inhalator for safety in fire fighting. Norbert Rillieux, born enslaved in Louisiana, patented a process which revolutionized sugar processing. Granville Woods invented a railway induction telegraph system which reduced the number of train collisions. Lewis Temple, a blacksmith in Massachusetts, designed a moving head harpoon which revolutionized the whaling industry.
As we move up in time, many scientific feats are being performed by Africans all over the globe, even as we speak, Africans are involved with all of the pure sciences, space technology, energy systems, and engineering. This is not to say that other societies are not involved in the field of science, but rather to dispel the myth that Africans operate on the periphery rather than at the heart of the scientific world. Space limitation does not allow a lenthy exposé of Africans in Science. For the reader who wants to know more, I recommend the book Blacks in Science: Ancient and Modern, edited by Ivan Van Sertima, Transaction Books, New Brunswick (USA) ISBN 0-87855-941-8.
