User:Jbkeller3iii/Jerry Lawson

The landscape of technology in America is vastly dominated by white males, even today. The overwhelming history of it consists of celebrating white achievements and neglecting the various marginalized individuals that helped make the world what it is today. A particularly notable individual in the field of computer technology is Jerry Lawson. He was one of the few African-American individuals to work for Silicon Valley and one of the few black individuals to be in the computer/engineering industries at the time. He pioneered video games and is arguably responsible for the concept of video games as we know them. By extension, the video game industry wouldn't exist if it wasn't for his achievements.

= Early Life And Achievements =

Jerry Lawson was born in Brooklyn, New York. Both parents encouraged his interest in science and ensured he received a good education. He had a grandfather that was educated as a physicist but never able to achieve a career in physics, instead working as a postmaster. He was a member of the Homebrew Computer Club, a group of early computer pioneers that included Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak.

Video game consoles typically came with only a handful of games. It wasn't possible to purchase additional games for the console. Games were programmed into the machine itself. Jerry Lawson and his team at Videosoft, invented the Fairchild Channel F video game console, the first console to use cartridge technology. It wasn't particularly successful during its run, being eclipsed by the Atari 2600 in 1977, but it's cartridge approach was picked up by every other game developer.