AP African American Studies Flashcards: Black Contributions to Science, Medicine, and Technology
Written by AP Content Team, Verified for 2026 AP Exams, Last updated: May 2026
Review key ideas with interactive flashcards. This set includes 19 cards to help you master important concepts.
Who is Kizzmekia Corbett?
Kizzmekia Corbett is a contemporary African American scientist who was central to the development of the Moderna Covid-19 mRNA vaccine.
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Who is Kizzmekia Corbett?
Kizzmekia Corbett is a contemporary African American scientist who was central to the development of the Moderna Covid-19 mRNA vaccine.
Who was Katherine Johnson?
Katherine Johnson was an African American mathematician for NASA whose successful calculations for space travel were instrumental in helping launch astronauts to the moon and back.
Who was Mae Jemison?
Mae Jemison is a physician, engineer, and NASA astronaut who became the first African American woman to travel in space in 1992.
What was the 'Black hospital movement'?
The Black hospital movement was a period in the mid-twentieth century when African American physicians collaborated with local governments to establish America's first nonsegregated hospitals.
What was the National Medical Association?
The National Medical Association was an organization established by African Americans to support training for Black medical professionals who were barred from the American Medical Association.
What was the purpose of establishing medical schools at HBCUs like Howard and Meharry College?
These medical schools were established to support training for Black medical professionals, as they were initially barred from entry into the American Medical Association.
What are some examples of fields where African Americans have made significant scientific and technological contributions?
African Americans have made significant contributions in fields such as agriculture, technology, medicine, science, and engineering.
What major medical 'first' is attributed to Daniel Hale Williams?
In 1893, Daniel Hale Williams performed the world's first successful heart surgery.
What was a major agricultural contribution of George Washington Carver?
He developed innovative methods for preventing soil depletion, which had a significant impact on agricultural practices.
How did the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) relate to earlier civil rights legislation?
The ADA built upon the achievements of civil rights laws that outlawed Jim Crow, extending similar anti-discrimination protections to people with disabilities.
How did African Americans contribute to the American healthcare system regarding community care?
African Americans contributed to the American healthcare system by providing free community-based care, which encouraged the early diagnosis of illness.
What was the impact of Daniel Hale Williams founding Provident Hospital in 1891?
The founding of Provident Hospital in Chicago established the first Black-owned hospital in the United States, providing care and training opportunities.
Who was George Washington Carver?
Born enslaved, George Washington Carver became a botanist and professor who developed methods for preventing soil depletion and served as an agricultural counselor to President Theodore Roosevelt.
How did the rise of eugenics in the early 20th century impact Black people with disabilities?
The eugenics movement heightened stigmatization based on race and ability, leading to systemic oppression, institutionalization, and rights infringements like forced sterilization for Black people with disabilities.
What is the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990?
The ADA is a law that built upon civil rights legislation by prohibiting discrimination against those with disabilities in areas like housing, employment, and government programs.
Who was Daniel Hale Williams?
Daniel Hale Williams was an African American physician who founded Provident Hospital in Chicago (1891), the first Black-owned hospital in the U.S., and performed the world's first successful heart surgery in 1893.
Who was Onesimus and what medical practice did he introduce?
Onesimus was an enslaved man who brought awareness of variolation to the British American colonies, a practice that helped curtail the spread of smallpox.
What was the significance of Katherine Johnson's calculations for NASA?
Her successful calculations for space travel were critical for the mission that launched astronauts to the moon and brought them back safely.
Describe the concept of 'multiple, compounding forms of discrimination' as it relates to Black people with disabilities.
This refers to facing systemic oppression based on both race and ability simultaneously, as seen during the eugenics movement which led to harassment, institutionalization, and forced sterilization.