Ceramic Mug 15oz “Black Excellence in the Manhattan Project.”

Black scientists, technicians, and laborers played a role in the Manhattan Project, the top-secret U.S. initiative that developed the first atomic bombs during World War II. While their contributions were often overlooked, they helped shape nuclear research and wartime industry.

Black Scientists & Technicians

Several African American scientists worked on nuclear research, including:

• J. Ernest Wilkins Jr. – A mathematician and physicist who contributed to nuclear reactor design.
• Lloyd Quarterman – A chemist who helped develop methods for uranium enrichment.
• Carolyn Parker – A physicist who worked on polonium research, a key component in nuclear reactions.
• William Jacob Knox Jr. – A chemist involved in uranium processing.
• Robert Johnson Omohundro – A physicist and mass spectrometrist who helped detect radioactive materials.

Black Laborers & Segregation

• Many Black workers were relegated to menial jobs such as janitors, cooks, and construction workers, despite their skills.
• At Oak Ridge, Tennessee, Black workers lived in segregated hutments—small plywood structures with no plumbing.
• Black women were housed in a fenced-off area called “The Pen,” with guards enforcing a 10 p.m. curfew.
• Despite Executive Order 8802, which banned racial discrimination in defense industries, segregation remained widespread.

Legacy & Recognition

• Their contributions were largely unrecognized for decades, but historians have worked to restore their legacy.
• The Atomic Heritage Foundation has documented the role of Black scientists in nuclear research.
• Their work helped advance nuclear science, shaping the future of energy and defense technology.

The Black scientists and workers of the Manhattan Project played a critical role in history, despite facing racism and exclusion