Marie Clark Taylor: Lighting the Way in Plant Science

Marie Clark Taylor: Lighting the Way in Plant Science

From Once Upon A Time In Black History by Tamara Shiloh

May 5, 2026 · 6 min · Episode 64

About this episode

This episode highlights the legacy of Marie Clark Taylor, a pioneering scientist in plant science and education.

In this episode of Once Upon a Time in Black History, host Tamara Shiloh highlights the groundbreaking legacy of Marie Clark Taylor—a pioneering scientist who transformed how we understand plant growth. From her early curiosity in Pennsylvania to becoming the first Black woman to earn a Ph.D. in botany from Fordham University, and later chairing the Botany Department at Howard University, Taylor broke barriers at every turn. Discover how her innovative teaching methods—and her early use of television in science education—helped bring learning to life for generations of students. #MarieClarkTaylor #BlackHistory #WomenInSTEM #Botany #ScienceEducation #HiddenFigures #BlackExcellence #STEMEducation #AfricanAmericanHistory #EducationalInnovation #PlantScience #HistoryPodcast #WomenInScience #HowardUniversity #FordhamUniversity

People in this episode

Host: Tamara Shiloh

Topics covered

  • plant science
  • Black history
  • women in STEM
  • education
  • botany

Keywords

  • Marie Clark Taylor
  • Black history
  • women in STEM
  • botany
  • science education

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Fordham University, Howard University

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