POS SI BIL I TIES Unidentified woman circa 1899 In the nineteenth century careers in STEM were becoming a reality for black women
PART 1 In the Vanguard
In early America the rap was that black people and women Unfit Too weak Lacking the mental muscle Blah blah blah This balderdash persisted into the nineteenth century were not equipped for STEM and beyond A black woman’s place said society was in the cotton or rice fields in domestic service or in taking care of her own home and family Defiant and determined a number of black women pushed back against stereotype In the early days most black women with a STEM bent became medical doctors These women were gold in their communities because many white physicians would not treat black people or treated them badly Black women were especially grateful for black medicine women because male MDs regardless of race or ethnicity could be rather condescending condescending toward female patients 7
