Throughout the years, Stevens has had an extensive history of Black alumni as pioneers and innovators of engineering. As we celebrate Black History Month, it’s important to look through Stevens’ own past and celebrate our alumni’s accomplishments and impact on the Stevens community.
The first Black alumnus, Randolph Montrose Smith, graduated from Stevens in 1924. While he was originally from Barbados, he came to NYC when he was only two years old. He spent his childhood in Harlem during the Harlem Renaissance. During his years as a student, he commuted from Harlem and played for one of Stevens’ final football teams. After he graduated, he became a civil engineer for the Manhattan subway system. To honor him, Stevens had a scholarship in his name.
The second Black student to graduate from Stevens was Dr. James “Jim” Sylvester Braxton in 1937. During his time at Stevens, he was consistently on the dean’s list, a member of Tau Beta Pi, and in 1937, was admitted to the Jersey City Chapter of the distinguished Alpha Phi Alpha, the first fraternity for Black men in America (Stevens’ chapter would be established in 2019).
While America was still recovering from the Great Depression and jobs were in limited supply for Black Americans, Braxton secured a job in Lockwood-Greene Engineers. Later on, he worked with Samuel Plato, a prominent Black architect, to build the Langston Stadium Residence Halls. Those temporary buildings would provide housing, recreation, food, and medical facilities for 900 women in the wartime labor force during World War II.
Moreover, Braxton was active in the Civil Rights Movement and in 1966, joined Dr. MLK Jr’s march in protesting housing discrimination in Chicago. He believed in affordable and equitable housing, and it remained a central theme throughout his career. Throughout his life, Braxton received many honors, including a Julius Rosenwald fellowship, an alumni achievement award for his work in the government sector, and an honorary doctorate from Stevens.
Another notable forerunner was Sheila Banks, the first Black woman to graduate from Stevens. Banks was praised by President Kenneth Rogers for her perseverance and desire for acceptance beyond race and gender. She was a member of the Society of Women Engineers, a secretary of the Black Student Union (BSU), and played violin and sang in the Glee Club. In 1978, shortly after her graduation, she accepted a technical position for Westinghouse Electric Corporation and, later, was promoted to sales engineer.
Today, Stevens’ Black alumni have continued to make their mark on the world. One recent graduate was Joelle Hinds in 1993. She was born in NYC and attended the STEP Bridge summer program before enrolling at Stevens at the young age of 16. Currently, she is an Alumni Trustee on Stevens’ Board of Trustees and is an appointed member of the Texas Bar Association Grievance Committee.
Another alumnus is Obiefuna Okafor who was named the 2021 Black Engineer of the Year (BEYA) for Outstanding Technical Contributions to Industry. Okafor was internally nominated by his company, Corning Incorporated, for the reputable award. Some of his projects include creating a ceramic substrate for catalytic converters to control air pollution within cars. Additionally, Coring’s president notes Okafor’s exceptional work during the uncertainties of the pandemic. Okafor currently works as a Senior Project Leader and Capital Portfolio Manager and is responsible for managing 20 projects. Outside of his job, Okafor serves as a senior member of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers and is on the Board of Trustees at New Horizons Community Charter School, NJ.
Throughout the years, many Black organizations have continued to be an active part of our campus community. For example, BSU was founded in 1968 and is dedicated to fostering awareness, community, and culture. They celebrated culture in events like Black Atlantic and have helped fundraise for the future of Black girls in technology.
Another organization is Stevens’ chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE). They held events like Sweets and Solidarity to support Sudan and Congo and Fiyah Side Chill, where they discussed cultural history and Black movements.
It’s crucial to recognize the achievements of Black alumni of yesterday and the accomplishments of Black alumni today. As we continue into the future, we should embark on a journey that celebrates and encourages everyone.
