Publications

Publications

The MIT Black History Project is committed to collecting, developing, curating, and preserving content on the Black experience at MIT dating back to 1865. We are also currently working with others to bring this knowledge to bear on the challenges we all face within the greater scope of the Institute’s mission and accomplishments.

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Water Marked: A Novel, 1999
Book
1990s

Water Marked: A Novel, 1999

Faculty
A novel by MIT professor Helen Elaine Lee about two estranged African American sisters who reunite to understand their father, written in lyrical prose balancing grief and beauty.
Other Researchers
The Properties of Violence, 2013
Book
2010s

The Properties of Violence: Claims to Ownership in Representations of Lynching, 2013

Faculty
A book by MIT professor Saidiya Hartman examining representations of lynching in American culture and the contested questions of ownership in the history of racial violence.
Other Researchers
The Politics of Official Apologies, 2008
Book
2000s

The Politics of Official Apologies, 2008

Faculty
A book by MIT professor Melissa Nobles examining how official government apologies in the US, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand are deployed for political purposes.
Other Researchers
Aerospace Engineer Aprille Ericsson, 2015
Book
2010s

Aerospace Engineer Aprille Ericsson, 2015

Alum
A children's biography of NASA aerospace engineer Aprille Ericsson, tracing her journey from science fair competitor to trailblazing rocket scientist and role model.
Other Researchers
Robert R. Taylor and Tuskegee, 2011
Book
2010s

Robert R. Taylor and Tuskegee: An African American Architect Designs for Booker T. Washington, 2011

Alum
A book interweaving the life of Robert Robinson Taylor, MIT's first Black graduate and the first accredited Black architect, with the story of his 40-year career building Tuskegee Institute.
Other Researchers
Black Apollo of Science: The Life of Ernest Everett Just, 1983
Book
1980s

Black Apollo of Science: The Life of Ernest Everett Just, 1983

Faculty
A biography of Ernest Everett Just, the pioneering African American marine biologist whose extraordinary scientific career was shaped by racial barriers in early 20th-century America.
Other Researchers
Racial & Ethnic Health Disparities, 2015
Book
2010s

Racial & Ethnic Health Disparities: Building Bridges of Hope through the Holy Spirit, 2015

Alum
A book by MIT alumnus exploring the intersection of racism, health disparities, and spiritual well-being, drawing on theology and public health to propose a path toward healing.
Other Researchers
Ron's Big Mission, 2009
Book
2000s

Ron's Big Mission, 2009

Alum
A children's picture book about young Ron McNair's determined trip to a segregated library in 1959, a pivotal moment that set the future MIT physicist and astronaut on his path.
Other Researchers
Abundance of Miracles: Autobiography of Charles A. Cofield, 2013
Book
2010s

Abundance of Miracles: Autobiography of Charles A. Cofield, 2013

Alum
The autobiography of Charles A. Cofield, MIT Class of 1972, tracing his path from Howard University student on the night of MLK's assassination to architect and community builder.
Other Researchers
Type
Timeline
Dream Builder: The Story of Architect Philip Freelon, 2020
Book
2020
Other Researchers
2020s
Other Researchers
2020s
Book
A children's biography of architect Philip Freelon, the designer of the National Museum of African American History and Culture, tracing his path from student to landmark builder.
Multiple
Phillip Clay: Reflections on the Black Experience at MIT, 1996
Oral History
2020
MIT Black History Project
1990s
MIT Black History Project
1990s
Oral History
An oral history interview with MIT Chancellor Phillip L. Clay, reflecting on the Black experience at the Institute and his own journey from student to the first Black department head at MIT.
Multiple
Creating a STEM-based Economic Pillar for the Caribbean: A Blueprint, 2019
Article
2019
Other Researchers
2010s
Other Researchers
2010s
Article
A 2019 policy blueprint proposing a STEM-driven economic development model for Caribbean nations seeking to reduce debt and diversify beyond tourism.
Multiple
Range distribution of 122 Mev (pi⁺) and (pi⁻) mesons in brass
Thesis
2019
Other Researchers
1950s
Other Researchers
1950s
Thesis
An MIT thesis by Harold Amos on the distribution of high-energy pi mesons in brass, representing early Black scholarship in experimental nuclear physics.
Student
Proving Einstein Right: The Daring Expeditions that Changed How We Look at the Universe, 2019
Book
2019
Other Researchers
2010s
Other Researchers
2010s
Book
A book by MIT alumnus S. James Gates Jr. '73 recounting the dramatic 1919 expeditions that tested Einstein's theory of general relativity and transformed our understanding of the universe.
Alum
The Purpose Path: A Guide to Pursuing Your Authentic Life's Work, 2019
Book
2019
Other Researchers
2010s
Other Researchers
2010s
Book
A book by MIT alumnus Nicholas Pearce offering a framework for pursuing meaningful, purpose-driven work grounded in authentic values and spiritual calling.
Alum
What I Wish I Knew: An Untold History of African-American Architects (2016)
Article
2019
Other Researchers
2010s
Other Researchers
2010s
Article
An article by MIT architect Philip Freelon MArch '77, recounting his discovery of overlooked African American contributions to architecture and his lifelong commitment to diverse design.
Multiple
Learning How To Fly, 2018
Book
2018
Other Researchers
2010s
Other Researchers
2010s
Book
A debut poetry collection by MIT alumnus Etienne Toussaint '07, exploring Black identity, belonging, and the weight of history and racism in America.
Alum
International joint venture with a government partner case study: copper mining in Zambia, 1972
Thesis
2018
Other Researchers
1970s
Other Researchers
1970s
Thesis
A 1994 MIT thesis analyzing international joint ventures with government partners in developing economies, using a copper mining case study.
Alum
Community facilities in a redevelopment area: a study and proposal for the Ellicott District in Buffalo, New York, 1955
Thesis
2018
Other Researchers
1950s
Other Researchers
1950s
Thesis
A 1955 MIT thesis by Robert Traynham Coles proposing a community facilities plan for the Ellicott District in Buffalo, NY, a redevelopment area with a significant Black population.
Alum
Architecture + Advocacy, 2016
Book
2017
Other Researchers
2010s
Other Researchers
2010s
Book
A richly illustrated book on Robert Traynham Coles, the African American architect from Buffalo who became a leading voice for social advocacy through design.
Alum
STEM Gems: How 44 Women Shine in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, and How You Can Too!, 2016
Book
2018
Other Researchers
2010s
Other Researchers
2010s
Book
A book by MIT alumna Stephanie Espy profiling 44 women in STEM fields, designed to inspire girls to pursue science and engineering through diverse role models and career stories.
Alum
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