Earn Your Leisure: The Father of AI Was a Black Scientist 🤯

Podcast: Earn Your Leisure
Hosts: Rashad Bilal and Troy Millings
Guest: Tara Davis Woodhull with commentary from Lisa Blackwell
Air Date: January 27, 2026

Episode Theme & Purpose

This episode of Earn Your Leisure spotlights the influential but underrecognized legacy of Dr. David Blackwell, a Black mathematician whose groundbreaking work laid the foundation for artificial intelligence and advanced statistical theory. The discussion explores Blackwell's life, his influential research, the challenges he faced as a Black academic, and reflections on how broader recognition of his achievements could transform STEM aspirations in the Black community. The dialogue is anchored by the family perspective and contemporary resonance, especially following Nvidia naming their most advanced AI chip "Blackwell" in his honor.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Who Was Dr. David Blackwell? (03:46 – 05:20)

• Nvidia Naming Tradition: Nvidia’s tradition of naming chips after scientific pioneers is explained, culminating in “Blackwell,” named for Dr. David Blackwell, the most advanced GPU at the time.
• Personal Connection: Tara Davis Woodhull, David Blackwell’s granddaughter, introduces the personal and cultural significance of her grandfather’s story.
• Documentary Preview: The episode includes an audio-visual concept reel for an upcoming documentary about Blackwell’s legacy.

2. Blackwell’s Scientific Legacy

(05:24 – 07:51)

• Fields of Impact: Blackwell made fundamental contributions to probability theory, statistics, information theory, mathematical logic, and game theory.
• Signature Theorem:
  • The Blackwell-Rao Theorem is highlighted as “an amazing approach to doing statistics,” crucial for minimizing bias in data – directly relevant to today's AI development.
  • “If Blackwell were alive today, he would certainly be the one to raise up his hand and say, you know, look, there’s bias in AI. There’s bias in the training data that we’re using, and we really need to think about minimizing these as more and more people use these models.” (Expert/Commentator 2, 07:40)

3. Blackwell’s Journey & Barriers

(07:51 – 10:50)

• Lisa Blackwell’s Reflection: Blackwell’s daughter recounts his early ambitions to teach, challenges finding academic acceptance, and the overt racism he faced. He was often denied teaching responsibilities despite qualifications because of his race.
• Institutional Resistance:
  • “He had the problems of not being hired in the 1950s because the wife of the chairman of the Berkeley Math department said, well, I wouldn’t want to see us hire somebody that I couldn’t invite to my home.” (Expert/Commentator 1, 09:45)
  • Blackwell’s acceptance at UC Berkeley in 1954 was historic but fraught; he and his family slept in a park for two months due to housing discrimination.

4. Personal Character & Community Legacy

(12:39 – 15:00)

• Resilience and Positivity: Blackwell is remembered as consistently positive and never bitter about racism.
  • “All the years I had heard people talk about David Blackwell, they never talked about him being angry or bitter. Most importantly, they never talked about him saying anything negative about anyone else. And that I think truly is a testament to his character.” (Expert/Commentator 2, 12:39)
• Innovative Teaching: Tara recalls family road trips where Blackwell would engage his children in advanced mathematical thinking, reflecting his gifts as a teacher and communicator.

5. AI Recognition and Impact Today

(13:23 – 17:28)

• Nvidia’s Acknowledgement: The story behind Nvidia naming their chip after Blackwell is discussed; he is the only honoree directly connected to the foundation of AI, unlike others who contributed to different scientific fields.
  • “We named it Blackwell in honor of Dr. Blackwell… The engine that’s powering this new industrial revolution.” (Lisa Blackwell, 13:37-13:46)
• On Representation:
  • The impact of the hidden history of Black excellence in STEM is discussed.
  • “Imagine if David Blackwell didn’t have to be hidden 50 years ago. If he wasn’t hidden 50 years ago, what would Stem look like today? What’s it going to look like tomorrow if we don’t uphold his face and those like him?” (Tara Davis Woodhull, 15:21)
• Identity and Advice:
  • “Specifically to African Americans. I would say don’t consider your race as a handicap. If you want to go in a direction, go in that direction… Don’t worry so much about race. It’s going to be a factor, but let other people worry about it. Don’t you worry about it.” (Lisa Blackwell, 13:59)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Blackwell’s Scientific Influence:
  • “There are many, many standard tools that people use all the time that are named after David.” (Expert/Commentator 1, 06:52)
• On Reckoning With Racial Bias in STEM:
  • “It just never crossed my mind that Blackwell could be black.” (A statistician’s reaction, quoted by Expert/Commentator 2, 14:34)
• On Community Impact:
  • “This moment to me is bigger because this is my community. This is who my grandfather cared about. These are the people I care about… But… nobody knows that he was there doing it.” (Tara Davis Woodhull, 18:38-19:56)
• On Representation and Inspiration:
  • “We aspire to be athletes and entertainers because we see success in that… But what if his story was so well known? How would that potentially change the trajectory of young people… knowing that artificial intelligence was practically started by somebody that was black?” (Podcast Host 2, 16:16)
• On Positivity:
  • “Let me not try to dwell on [the negative]. Let me try to move forward, to say what are positive things that are happening and what are ways that I can make this world a better place.” (Expert/Commentator 2, 12:39)

Important Segment Timestamps

• Nvidia’s Chip Naming & Blackwell’s Legacy – 03:46–05:24
• Blackwell-Rao Theory & Minimizing Bias in AI – 06:44–07:51
• Lisa Blackwell on Academic Barriers – 07:51–09:23
• Stories of Discrimination at Berkeley – 09:45–10:50
• Tara’s Family Memories and Blackwell’s Character – 10:50–12:39
• The Reluctance to Recognize Black Genius – 14:34–15:21
• The Power of Representation in STEM – 16:16–18:38
• Tara on Community and Legacy – 18:38–19:56

Conclusion

This episode powerfully reframes the narrative on who has shaped the modern AI era, centering the achievements and perseverance of Dr. David Blackwell—a black scientist whose legacy, mathematical rigor, and character are only just beginning to receive the cultural celebration they deserve. The conversation urges listeners to embrace a wider view of STEM heroes, underscoring the transformative potential of representation and historic truth. It is an inspiring reminder that the next generation needs to see—and be taught—the real story behind the technology shaping our world.