In the last issue of (mt), we highlighted trailblazers Raye Montague, Gladys West, and Ira West, who contributed to the digital advancement in naval architecture and marine engineering, through computational ship design, GPS, and submarine improvements. This was the end of the Jim Crow Era in the U.S. At the other end of the American timeline was the birth of the nation, with the institution of slavery simultaneously presenting a contradiction to the principles of freedom and a powerful economic temptation. In the late 18th century, two free Black men with maritime connections, James Forten and Paul Cuffe, seized every opportunity to advance, becoming some of the most influential and wealthy men in their regions, White or Black.
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