Dr. Mark Dean (Photo: University of Tennessee) It's no secret that success for African Americans in tech has not come easily. As part of a cultural group that has been on the receiving end of discrimination, disenfranchisement, and blatant terror extending back hundreds of years, Black engineers and tech executives often feel like they must perform at twice the level just to break even with their non-minority counterparts. Despite those immense challenges, a handful of Black professionals in the 1950s, 60s, 70s, and 80s broke through and succeeded at high-tech firms. Their faces might not be as prominent or well-known as those of white tech pioneers, but their contributions to the industry are no less important.