Celebrating Black History in Environmental and Construction

Happy Black History Month from ERC! We wanted to take the time to honor some African American trailblazers in the environmental and construction industry. Let’s learn about these inspirational figures and how they have impacted the field we contribute to today.

Environmental

  1. Wangarĩ Maathai (1940-2011)

Maathai founded the Green Belt Movement which is a tree planting initiative that reduced poverty and encouraged conservation. The United Nations named her the UN Messenger of Peace due to her commitment to the environment and climate change. (WeForum, GBM)

  1. Warren Washington (1936-2024)

    Dr. Warren Washington

Dr. Washington was a senior scientist at the National Center for Atmospheric Research and created computer models that helped scientists understand climate change. These models continue to be used to interpret climate change. (WeForum)

  1. Marie Harrison (1948-2019)

Marie Harrison was a pioneering leader in the environmental justice movement in Bayview. She arrived in San Francisco with her family in 1966 and began working at the Hunter’s Point Naval Shipyard as a teenager. Throughout her life, she and her family faced disproportionate exposure to environmental hazards, leading to severe health consequences. Determined to fight these injustices, she dedicated herself to advocacy and community action.

A key figure in the successful effort to close the PG&E power plant—demolished in 2009—Marie spent years as a community organizer and board member for Greenaction for Health and Environmental Justice. In recognition of her lifelong commitment to activism, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors honored her in June 2018. She continued her work tirelessly until her passing in May 2019. Her legacy of environmental justice endures, carried forward by her daughter, Arieann Harrison, founder and Executive Director of the Marie Harrison Community Foundation, Inc. (SFE)

Construction

  1. Alexander Miles (1838-1918)

Miles invented automatic closing and opening elevator doors. This feature made elevator safer and is now a standard for all elevators. (HITT)

  1. Hattie Scott Peterson (1913–1993)

Peterson was the first African American woman licensed as a civil engineer in the U.S. She worked on major projects, including the Alaskan Highway and military construction during World War II. Her career spanned roles at the U.S. Geological Survey and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, where she became the organization’s first female engineer in 1954. A champion for women in engineering, she supported future engineers through scholarships at Howard University. Her legacy is honored through the annual Hattie Peterson Inspirational Award, recognizing perseverance in the face of social challenges. (Corfix)

  1. Robert R. Taylor (1868–1942)

    Robert R. Taylor

Taylor was the first accredited African American architect and the first Black student at MIT. A key figure at Tuskegee Institute, he worked closely with Booker T. Washington, shaping both the campus and its industrial curriculum. His designs, including the Tuskegee Chapel, showcased African American craftsmanship. Taylor co-founded one of the first Black architecture firms and designed buildings for several HBCUs. He also contributed internationally, planning Liberia’s Booker Washington Institute. His legacy lives on through the Taylor School of Architecture at Tuskegee and a U.S. postage stamp in his honor. (Corfix)

Local African American Environmental and Construction Businesses/Organizations

 SNR Construction: SNR Construction is a Houston based construction firm that was founded in 2016 by Sakara Ross and Carl Ross. (SNR)

Taproot Earth: The Gulf South has always risen in the face of adversity. Taproot Earth, a Black-owned, Louisiana-based organization, carries forward this legacy of resilience. Rooted in the community-led responses to Hurricane Katrina, the 2010 BP Oil Drilling Disaster, and Hurricane Ida, Taproot Earth upholds the leadership of Black and Indigenous communities in the fight for accountability, abundance, and justice. By forging strong connections, the organization strengthens and sustains frontline climate leaders across the Gulf and Global South. As the movement for liberation grows, Taproot Earth stands at the forefront, rising with the communities it serves. (Taproot)

Sources: