The myth of the first African-American electrical engineer

Arthur U. Craig and the importance of teaching in technological history

Bibliographic Data

ID14800368
AuthorsJennifer L Lieberman (University of North Florida, corresponding author)
Year2016
Volume32
Issue1
Pages70-90
Publication date2016-01-02
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueHistory and Technology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0734-1512 • E-ISSN: 1477-2620
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/07341512.2016.1184016
OpenAlexW2410195398
LanguageEN
References cited15

In recent years, historians of technology including Bruce Sinclair, Rayvon Fouché, and Amy Slaton have analyzed the intersection of technological and African-American history to redress the historical and enduring correlation between whiteness and technology. This paper contributes to this conversation by chronicling the story of Arthur U. Craig, a faculty member at the Tuskegee Institute who installed the university’s famous lighting system. During Craig’s tenure at the Institute, he was touted to be the ‘first black electrical engineer’ – but he resisted that title. This article examines why. In so doing, ‘The Myth of the First African-American Electrical Engineer’ builds upon three scholarly conversations. First, it discusses how the cultural meanings of electricity inflected how Tuskegee advertised Craig’s contributions to campus. Second, it re-situates the often-overlooked Craig within the history of Tuskegee Institute. Finally, it examines Craig’s contribution to debates about engineering education for African American students

African american · Conversation · Mythology · Political science · Redress · Sociology · Anthropology · Classics · History · History of Science and Natural History · Law · Research, Science, and Academia · Twentieth Century Scientific Developments

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