In honor of Black History Month, these Britannica Educator activities celebrate African Americans who broke barriers in science, technology, engineering, and math.

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Besides being an astronaut, chemical engineer, physician, and teacher, what other distinction does Mae Jemison hold? Why did Benjamin Banneker send a letter to Thomas Jefferson in 1791? What else can you discover about Mary Jackson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Katherine Johnson, the three women of NASA featured in the film Hidden Figures?

Explore the links and resources below with your class to learn more about Black History Month and sample Britannica’s coverage of the people, ideas, and accomplishments we honor this February.

Britannica School Resource Packs

Don’t know where to start? We’ve created resource packs to help—articles, images, videos, and more.

Elementary

Secondary

Check these out! Students can dig deeper with the following activity and video.

READ: Sons and daughters of invention – ASEE

WATCH: Five black chemists who changed the world

Click to watch on Britannica School: Five black chemists who changed the world

Now what? Use the double journal strategy to make it all stick.

Strategy Card: Say What!?

Graphic Organizer: Double-entry Journal

Want even more?

Check out last year’s Black History Month webinar that pairs fictional literature with Britannica materials.

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