Celebrating Black History Month with a Spotlight on Notable Engineers

Feb. 27, 2024

A look at some of the incredible accomplishments achieved by African American engineers and scientists who helped shape industries and inspired generations.

Cabe Atwell

Related To: Electronic Design

Lanny Smoot, electrical engineer/“imagineer”

Lanny Smoot is known the world over for his work at Disney, where he garnered the title of “Imagineer” and earned 102 patents for developments he created as the mastermind behind the company’s famous attractions.

Smoot’s accomplishments include creating the drive system for the Star Wars BB-8 droid, interactive zoetropes for facial animations, eye imaging for superhero masks and helmets, “Where’s the Fire?” at Innoventions (Epcot), many Haunted Mansion special effects, virtual interactive koi ponds in Hong Kong Disneyland, Fortress Explorations at Tokyo DisneySea, “Power City” in Spaceship Earth (Epcot), and lightsabers for the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser experience.

Smoot was also inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame this year (2024) for his work on theatrical technologies and special effects. He was the first engineer from the company to enter the Hall of Fame after Walt Disney, who was inducted in 2000 for the invention of the multiplane camera.

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What you’ll learn:

Presenting some of the brilliant African American engineers and scientists.
Their wide range of accomplishments.

As Black History Month comes to a close, we should take the time to reflect on the remarkable contributions of African American engineers throughout history. From trailblazers who defied societal barriers to pioneers who paved the way for future generations, African American engineers have left an indelible mark on the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Their accomplishments embody resilience, determination, and excellence, serving as an inspiration to all.

In this roundup, we explore the lives and accomplishments of notable African American engineers, highlighting their groundbreaking work, enduring legacies, and the profound impact they have had on shaping the world we live in today. Let’s look at some of the achievements of these extraordinary individuals and honor their invaluable contributions to the field of engineering.

About the Author

Cabe Atwell | Technology Editor, Electronic Design

Cabe is a Technology Editor for Electronic Design.

Engineer, Machinist, Maker, Writer. A graduate Electrical Engineer actively plying his expertise in the industry and at his company, Gunhead. When not designing/building, he creates a steady torrent of projects and content in the media world. Many of his projects and articles are online at element14 & SolidSmack, industry-focused work at EETimes & EDN, and offbeat articles at Make Magazine. Currently, you can find him hosting webinars and contributing to Electronic Design and Machine Design.

Cabe is an electrical engineer, design consultant and author with 25 years’ experience. His most recent book is “Essential 555 IC: Design, Configure, and Create Clever Circuits”

Cabe writes the Engineering on Friday blog on Electronic Design.