We join the many other organizations and institutions paying tribute to Black History Month in February, a time for reflecting on the contributions of Black Americans to the United States and the world.
Our organization is headquartered in Atlanta, a fast-growing tech sector. Since many of our conversations revolve around technology and careers in the sector, we’d like to share some Black history:
Dr. Shirley Jackson was the first Black American woman to earn a doctorate in nuclear physics at MIT. Her experiments with theoretical physics paved the way for numerous developments in telecommunications, including the touch-tone telephone, the portable fax, caller ID, call waiting, and fiber-optic cable.
Roy L. Clay, sometimes referred to as the “godfather of Black Silicon Valley,” helped launch Hewlett-Packard’s computer division in the late 1960s and helped break down barriers for Black Americans in technology. The next generation of Black tech innovators has greatly benefited from his commitment to recruitment and talent development.
Where We Are Today
According to a report as recent as , Black workers make up only 7% of people who work in high tech. In contrast, Black Americans make up 13% of the U.S. workforce.
In addition, women hold only 25% of all tech jobs, as opposed to being 54.6% of the overall U.S. Women hold only 5% of the leadership positions and own 5% of startups in the tech industry.
Tech is a huge industry that accounts for 7.7% of the total labor force in the United States, a percentage that’s growing larger every year. Despite the industry’s size and influence, it’s historically been highly exclusive, with extremely low rates of representation among people of color or women.
While big tech companies are recognizing these stats as a problem and are beginning to work to fix them, the issues still exist and need continuing attention. Let’s make sure that we continue to convene, collaborate, and keep this conversation going so we can diversify the workforce, provide more career and economic mobility opportunities to those who need them most, and provide resources, support, and space for the next generation of Black tech innovators, creators, and entrepreneurs.
Looking for something to do to celebrate and honor Black History Month in Atlanta?
From visiting historic attractions to touring civil rights exhibits to supporting Black-owned businesses, discover a few unique things to do during Black History Month in Atlanta.