Archive

Archive

The MIT Black History Project has archived over 3,000 pieces of history related to the black experience at the Institute dating back to the 1870s. We thank our many donors, volunteers, and stakeholders for making this significant effort possible. Images on this website are subject to copyright laws and may not be duplicated without permission.

Filter
Clear all
Showing 0 of 100
Timeline
MIT School
MIT Department
Life@MIT
Career
Object
Show more
Collection
Clear all
Filter close icon
Filter open icon
Filters
Astronaut candidates R. McNair, G. Bluford, and F. Gregory
Image
1970s

NASA astronaut candidates Ronald McNair, Guion Bluford, and Frederick Gregory, 1978

School of Engineering
Aeronautics and Astronautics
No items found.
Science
Technology
Integration and Differentiation 1969-1994
Magazine features
NASA
Ronald E. McNair
This is some text inside of a div block.
Bennie F. L. Ward, 2025
2020s

Bennie F. L. Ward, 2025

School of Science
Mathematics
Physics
Black Students' Union (BSU)
Education
Science
Conferences
Integration and Differentiation 1969-1994
MIT Quarter Century Club
Rising Voices 1995-Present
This is some text inside of a div block.
"Sisters in Making" exhibit, 2024
Image
2020s

MIT Libraries "Sisters in Making" exhibit, 2024

School of Architecture and Planning
Architecture
No items found.
Engineering
Government & Law
Science
Technology
Exhibits
NASA
Rising Voices 1995-Present
Students
Women
This is some text inside of a div block.
MIT Spotlight: Martin Luther King Day, 2024
Image
2020s

MIT Spotlight: Martin Luther King Day, 2024

No items found.
No items found.
No items found.
Community
Activism
Administrators
Illustrations
Integration and Differentiation 1969-1994
Latinx and Latin America(n)
This is some text inside of a div block.
Joseph S. Dunning, 1937
Image
1930s

Joseph S. Dunning, 1937

School of Engineering
Aeronautics and Astronautics
No items found.
Community
Technology
Transportation
Harvard
NAACP
Order of Operations 1921-1945
Stanford
Students
This is some text inside of a div block.
Herbert L. Hardy, 1952
Image
1950s

Herbert L. Hardy, 1952

School of Science
Physics
No items found.
No items found.
Potential Output 1946-1954
Students
Technique Yearbook
This is some text inside of a div block.
Herbert L. Hardy and boys with electrical equipment, ca. 1951
Image
1950s

Herbert L. Hardy and boys with electrical equipment, ca. 1951

School of Science
Physics
No items found.
Engineering
Potential Output 1946-1954
STEM Education
Students
This is some text inside of a div block.
John Stroman at MITSO rehearsal, 1977
Image
1970s

John Stroman at MITSO rehearsal, 1977

School of Engineering
Aeronautics and Astronautics
No items found.
Arts & Humanities
Community
Integration and Differentiation 1969-1994
Marcus A. Thompson
Music
Ronald E. McNair
Students
This is some text inside of a div block.
Philip Abel Adama in a scene from 'Brief Tender Light,' 2023
Audio
2020s

African-born students shine as agents of change in documentary 'Brief Tender Light' (2023)

School of Engineering
Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
African Students' Association (ASA)
Arts & Humanities
Community
Africa(n)
Rising Voices 1995-Present
Students
This is some text inside of a div block.
Type
Timeline
Ronald McNair training at NASA, 1983
Image
1980s
2017
Ronald McNair training at NASA, 1983, as one of 35 selected from a pool of 10,000 applicants. Part of the MIT Black History Project archive.
School of Science
Physics
Omega Psi Phi
Engineering
Science
Technology
Transportation
Integration and Differentiation 1969-1994
NASA
Ronald E. McNair
Michael Feld and Ronald McNair, 1980s
Image
1980s
2017
MIT physics professor Michael Feld mentoring Ronald McNair, MIT PhD 1977, photographed in the 1980s. Part of the MIT Black History Project archive.
School of Science
Physics
Omega Psi Phi
Education
Science
Technology
Bridge Leaders
Faculty
Integration and Differentiation 1969-1994
Jerome Wiesner
Mentorship
Artifact: Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Tail Jacket
Image
1910s
2017
Omega Psi Phi Fraternity tail jacket, artifact of MIT's Gamma Chapter, chartered December 13, 1916 in Boston. Part of the MIT Black History Project archive.
No items found.
No items found.
Omega Psi Phi
Community
Boston University
Fashion
Greek Life
Harvard
Howard University
Booker Washington Agricultural & Industrial Institute (BWI), est. 1929
Video
2000s
2017
Booker Washington Agricultural Institute, Liberia, 1929, designed by MIT alumnus Robert R. Taylor, Class of 1892. Part of the MIT Black History Project archive.
School of Architecture and Planning
Architecture
No items found.
Education
Engineering
Africa(n)
Booker T. Washington
HBCUs
Order of Operations 1921-1945
Rising Voices 1995-Present
Alonzo Fields
1920s
2017
Alonzo Fields, White House butler 1931-1953, profiled in MIT's 2016 centennial retrospective. Part of the MIT Black History Project archive.
No items found.
No items found.
No items found.
Government & Law
Alonzo Fields
Samuel W. Stratton
Staff
Noam Chomsky on Race, Gender and Class with Kathleen Cleaver (1997)
Video
1990s
2017
MIT professor Noam Chomsky and Kathleen Cleaver discuss race, gender, and class at MIT, 1997. Part of the MIT Black History Project archive.
School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences
Administration
Linguistics and Philosophy
No items found.
Community
Education
Activism
Administrators
Bridge Leaders
Critical Mass 1955-1968
Faculty
Toni P. Robinson: Collier Medal of Service, 2015
Image
2010s
2017
Toni P. Robinson, MIT ombudsperson and mediator, receives the MIT Collier Medal of Service, 2015. Part of the MIT Black History Project archive.
Sloan School of Management
Administration
Management
No items found.
Community
Education
Government & Law
Administrators
Honors
L. Rafael Reif
Rising Voices 1995-Present
Women
Harry S. McGee, 1922
Image
1920s
2017
Harry S. McGee, MIT Class of 1922, photographed as part of the Institute's early Black student history. Part of the MIT Black History Project archive.
School of Architecture and Planning
Architecture
No items found.
No items found.
Order of Operations 1921-1945
Students
Technique Yearbook
Shirley Jackson at MIT, 1973
Image
1970s
2017
Shirley Ann Jackson at MIT, 1973, the first Black woman to earn a PhD from the Institute. Part of the MIT Black History Project archive.
School of Science
Physics
Black Students' Union (BSU)
Education
Science
Activism
Critical Mass 1955-1968
Dunbar High School
Integration and Differentiation 1969-1994
MIT Corporation
Paula Hammond at work, 2007
Image
2000s
2017
Paula Hammond, MIT chemical engineer, photographed at work developing roll-up fuel cells, 2007. Part of the MIT Black History Project archive.
School of Engineering
Chemical Engineering
No items found.
Engineering
Faculty
Magazine features
Paula T. Hammond
Rising Voices 1995-Present
Women
Robert P. Pinckney, 1952
Image
1950s
2017
Robert P. Pinckney, MIT Class of 1952, electrical engineer and early Black MIT graduate. Part of the MIT Black History Project archive.
School of Engineering
Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
No items found.
Engineering
Technology
Transportation
NASA
Potential Output 1946-1954
Students
Technique Yearbook
Reunion of early black alums, 1973
Image
1970s
2017
Reunion of early Black MIT alumni in 1973, recounting the Black experience at the Institute. Part of the MIT Black History Project archive.
School of Engineering
No items found.
Black Alumni/ae of MIT (BAMIT)
Black Students' Union (BSU)
Community
Education
Engineering
Critical Mass 1955-1968
Ernest Cohen
Integration and Differentiation 1969-1994
Mentorship
STEM Education
No results found.
There are no results with this criteria. Try changing your search.
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

Have a piece of MIT black history to share?

If you have an important item you believe the project should consider for its collection, please share it with the MIT Black History Project.

Share History