Daddy, I’m ready to read another book with you at bedtime.

I loved hearing that sentence from my 10-year-old daughter, Norah. We have read many books together over her young life. This time she wanted about women in science. I did a Google search a few weeks ago and came across Black Women in Science by Kimberly Brown Pellum.

Pellum writes about fifteen women across the various fields in science from mathematics, astronomy, computer science, and engineering to show how black women scientists had a major contribution to American society.

We enjoyed reading the short bios of Rebecca Lee Crumpler, the first African American female physician during the post Civil War era to Bessie Coleman, the first African American woman to fly a plane to Gladys West, the scientist who helped with the creation of GPS, and Mae Jemison, the first African American woman to go into space. Norah and I had great discussions about these women and their importance to American culture.

Black Women in Science is aimed for children from 3rd-6th grades and a great introduction to a part of American history not taught or celebrated. Also, I would encourage non-African Americans, especially young girls of all ethnicities to read about these amazing women. Their inspirational stories revealed how they overcame the odds and added to American society.

I’m pleased that Black Women in Science was my first review for 2020 and my daughter found another good book we could read together.