Dr. Mark Dean (1957-) is an American inventor and computer scientist.
Born March 2, 1957, in Jefferson City, Tennessee, Dr. Dean was a bright and energetic child who was often asked by his classmates if he was really black because, according to them, black people were not supposed to be that smart. He excelled both athletically and academically and continued his success in college as he graduated at the top of his class with a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Tennessee in 1979.
The following year, Dean was invited to join IBM as an engineer. Despite his new position, Dean continued his education and received a master’s degree in electrical engineering from Florida Atlantic University in 1982. As an engineer for IBM, Dean served as the chief engineer for the team that developed the IBM PC/AT, the original home/office computer.
With his friend and colleague, Dennis Moeller, Dean developed the Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) systems bus, a component that allowed multiple peripheral devices such as modems and printers to be connected to a PC, making it a practical and affordable component of the home or small business office. Dean owns three of the original nine patents that all PCs are based upon and followed up with PS/2 Models 70 or 80 and the Color Graphics Adapter, which allowed for color display on the PC.
Dr. Dean decided to continue his education even further and in 1992, he received a Ph.D. in electrical engineering. Five years later, he was named director of the Austin Research Laboratory and director of advanced technology development for the IBM Enterprise Server Group. In 1999, his team made significant breakthroughs including the testing of the first gigahertz CMOS microprocessor. He was then named vice president for systems research at IBM’s Watson Research Center in Yorktown Heights, New York, then as a vice president in IBM’s Storage Technology Group, focused on the company’s storage systems strategy and technology road map. He was later named vice president for hardware and systems architecture in IBM’s Systems and Technology Group in Tucson, Arizona, and vice president of the IBM Almaden Research Center in San Jose, California.
In 1995, Dr. Dean was named an IBM fellow, the first black person honored with the highest technical honor awarded by the company. Only 50 of IBM’s 310,000 employees are Fellows. In 1997, Dean was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame with Moeller, joining two other noted black members, George Washington Carver and Dr. Percy Julian. In 2001, Dean was elected a member of the National Academy of Engineers.
Dean made history again recently by leading the design team responsible for creating the first 1-gigahertz processor chip, another significant step in making computers faster and smaller. Today, Dean has more than 40 patents or patents pending and continues to impact the world of computer science.
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Concrete Loop features ‘Black History Spotlights’ each week honoring black people who have played pivotal roles in history. submissions are welcome.
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Thank you CL. I really enjoy your site. I used to visit Young, Black, and Fabulous, but that site is truly for teenagers/young 20s establishment.
Dr. Dean is truly an accomplished individual. He is proof that when one puts his/her mind to it, great things can be accomplished.
I would like to address a comment made by a couple of earlier posters, the first being #14 who said that white people try keep us oppressed. While I agree with that statement, I would also like to point out that we do a fantastic job of keeping each other oppressed. As a successful black person myself, I am sure Dr. Dean had more than 1 or 2 of his “brothas” or “sistahs” to tell him he would not make it, or at the very least try to divert his focus to more sinister matters. So yes, while I agree that some white people (not all-I have had some of my greatest successes with white people),will try to thwart good intentions, we as black people need to get serious and promote and help each other.
#30. You sound very bitter. I do not know why you felt the need to compare this man’s accomplishments to being a slave. I am guessing that you are attempting to say that he has chosen to become a slave to IBM by means of his intellect and hard work? If memory serves me correctly, slaves never were given a choice as to their fate. It was chosen for them. This man by means of hard work and years of experience in his chosen field, has many options before him. I am not sure why he chose IBM, but he did, and it appears to have worked very well for both he and IBM. Are you jealous? Perhaps you can come back and explain why you are so bitter. You have just proven my earlier comment about how blacks do a fantastic job of keeping blacks oppressed, yet, some white people will actually give a black person the thing that he/she needs to be successful.
GOOD ON DEAN
Mark Dean is the truth… and the wonderful thing about it is that this man has helped brothers and sisters all along the way. Any information, experience and understanding that he has had – he always shared it and helped smooth the way for others to come up behind him.
I’m definitely proud of Dr. Mark Dean’s accomplishments!! Without him using a computer would be a lot more difficult!!!
That’s what’s up! I had no idea a person of color invented that!
@ 39 Jodi (Black Londoner)
You can find the t-shirts at http://www.iluvblackpeople.com/
very proud of his accomplishments
I have never heard of this man. Thanks for such a very interesting article. Keep on doing what you do CL!
Thanks J. Dakar
You can find the news at “C e l e b C u p i d.c o m”"”I’m definitely proud of Dr. Mark Dean’s accomplishments!!
Look the guy seems like a man of intellect and character and i meant no disrespect to him, but some of u missed my point. The focus is not so much on this black man, but on the corrupt system as a whole where we focus on the Dr. Kings and Oprahs and forget the Malcolm Xs and Harriet Tubmans. Think about that for a minute.
“I freed a thousand slaves I could have freed a thousand more if only they knew they were slaves.” Harriet Tubman
#30 Datdude said, The people that really should be honored may never be known, but I’ll keep a watchful eye for them anyway.
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Sorry but what do you think he is? Well, let me enlighten you if I may. He’s someone who CL and J Dakar decided to HONOR that some of us may never have what you call KNOWN. I’ve never heard of him until now so YES, he is someone who should be honored. You have a right to your opinion, but geez, it’s twisted a bit.
Look, I’m not here to come down on you, but at least give this man his props. He’s done what few blacks do and in a field dominated by white men more or less. That in and of itself deserves some praise. Mr. Dean keep doing good things, and Mr. Dakar, don’t stop informing us on fine individuals such as Mr. Dean.
Ok you made your point, I digress
I respect that quote by Harriet Tubman, and my apologies if I sounded harsh.
Im thrilled to be a fellow alumnus of the EE department at the University of Tennessee. I hope to one day represent and excel to the same caliber as Dr. Dean. I met him a few years ago when he was awarded one of UT’s highest achievement awards
#69
I re-read your original post and the first paragraph still reads negative in my opinion. In your second you do bring up a very valid point with how white people try to pick or choose less militant (safe) people for us to idolize but that’s mainly to diminish accountablilty from their actions, hide the truth from us (and their children) and propel themselves to sainthood.
why do u keep deleting my post???????????????? it was not rude or offensive
TOTALLY FORGOT ITS 4TH JULY. HAVE A GREAT DAY PEEPS WHILST HERE IN UK WE JUST CARRY ON WORKING HARD.
CONCRETE LOOP= PLEASE DO NOT DELETE ME COMMENTS. THEY ARE NOT RUDE OR OFFENSIVE
Thanks to him we can blog. LOL
But more importantly he shows us that we just dont have to be NBA players or rappers to become successful and wealthy in life.
NUMBER 69
THANK YOU LOLA, I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
CL can we please have the next damn post…..thank you.
LoL @ 80. Chill yo. Maybe they out eating BBQ or something. It IS THE FOURTH ya know!! lol.
WHY HAVEN`T THEY BEEN POSTS 4 2days?
it`s not just this blog but like 5 of em
is wordpress on strike?
The thread was very inspiring and educational. Thank You
has the people who run this site died there’s no vacation in blogs but happy 4th of july anyway
@ island girl how so ingnorant of you who knew a black man did all this should we as a people be that surpised that one of us can do all this really and black man can marry who ever the hell thay want to black white asian hispanic
I like how no one can tell me of a current person of any race who is doing anything truly beneficial to mankind as a whole without puppet strings, that is the real problem, actually. If any of you happen to find one, honor that person on here(CL), wat ever race they are, because hell i have seen a couple places in the world and in various locations in America and if something is not done soon, our future is very bleak.The arrogant blindness of the vast majority of people in first world nations that don’t realize they are on the verge of destruction until its too late has always been and from the looks of it, will always be. Computer geniuses, science masterminds, moving orators…etc, is all well and good, but please show me a fighter on here, someone who says Fuck this capitalist system which is akin to slavery and let me save my people, all of them of every race, for God sakes because the powers that be are keeping us down, not necessarily the white man, but any man who loves his wealth and power more than his fellow man, where the hell has our fire gone…i guess if i alone see the problem, maybe i have to figure it out on my own, maybe i need to be the fighter if no one else will.
“I like how no one can tell me of a current person of any race who is doing anything truly beneficial to mankind as a whole without puppet strings, that is the real problem, actually … Computer geniuses, science masterminds, moving orators…etc, is all well and good, but please show me a fighter on here, someone who says Fuck this capitalist system which is akin to slavery.”
@ Datdude, since you’re take such a passionate stance, maybe that one man can be you. Maybe.
Capitalism is the foundation of everything that involves social change — even charity. Do you get that? Look at it this way. You can’t feed people without food. You can’t get food without either the means to grow it or the means to buy it. You can’t grow something without capitalistic involvement because even land isn’t free and you certainly can’t buy something without money or other material exchange. So we’re back to the initial crux of the issue. Even grassroots movements require funding and financing. That’s a fact.
I think I understand the point you’re trying to drive home, and I think it’s sensible. However, everyone doesn’t do things the same way. So if someone leaves a positive mark on this world through either inspiration or actual guidance, they shouldn’t necessarily be condemned for it simply because of they got to that point by being a worker-bee. Look at the whole picture. Not just a piece.
“I like how no one can tell me of a current person of any race who is doing anything truly beneficial to mankind as a whole without puppet strings, that is the real problem, actually … Computer geniuses, science masterminds, moving orators…etc, is all well and good, but please show me a fighter on here, someone who says Fuck this capitalist system which is akin to slavery.”
@Datdude-You do know that Barack Obama took a stand and decided not to accept traditional donations for his campaign, right? OK, so I just gave you a current person of any race who is doing anything truly beneficial to mankind as a whole . . .
Your point is is taken, but you still come across as bitter and jealous for some reason.
nice to see
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I hear wat you ppl are saying, and i don’t mean to come off as jealous or bitter becuz thats not where my heart is at, in no way, its just that if u have seen some of things i have seen… I can’t forget it. No hate, all love, hell all i want is for everyone to be living good, thats all. Forgive me if i offended any of you, i only wanted ppl to think about things a little differently and try to see where i’m coming from. I thought about it again and maybe i was harsh on dude and those like him, and i am sorry for that because i should not judge a man since i don’t know wat is in his heart, maybe this was the only way he knew to fight, I guess just because i see something, i can’t expect everyone else to, its not really fair. So sorry for that. I hope one day i can show through my actions wat i meant by all this. Thanks at least reading wat i wrote.
@Datdude-I truly love having great “conversations” with intelligent persons like yourself, that is why I started coming to CL. I do absolutely get it when you say that in so many cases when we do something good, we end up being puppets on a string, and you are so right about that. I really had not considered the point that you made until you made it and while some will be put off and totally disagree, your point is valid.
Peace!
For me it’s never been about being black or white, but but being the greatest man or women possible. I must admit it does feel good when black people or people of color are recognized.
-Matchstik
A.K.A The Absolute Truth!
@Datdude
Brother, continue to analyze and question the inner-workings of this society. Don’t be dissuaded by the backlash of anyone. The vast majority of them became irate at your comment because they know that it is the truth. Once a black male starts to think for himself, all types of forces gather against him and act as if they’re going to edify him or open his mind when in fact they want to keep him mesmerized by this nonsense. The brother Mark Dean is pretty much the inventor of the pillars or modern day commercial technology and he should be a household name with his own mega-billion dollar company. Instead of our people asking themselves how come they’ve never heard of this man, they go into the shallow spiel about how proud they are to be black.
Datdude & Judah–
I completely agree with both of you. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again….the black race as a whole is COMATOSE because we continually fail to see the big picture. Like the previous poster said…throughout history our talents have been and continue to be used to further the prosperity of others (read: non-blacks). What Dr. Dean has accomplished is great and he should be recognized…but think about it….most of the people here have never heard of this man a day in their natural lives and look at what he has invented. Ask yourself why this is…..