ScienceMakers Toolkit Manual - The History Makers

Graduating from Arsenal High School in 1962, at Spight’s mother’s suggestion he enrolled at Purdue University
and graduated with a B.S.E.E. degree (with highest honors) in 1966. Spight earned his M.A. degree and Ph.D.
in plasma physics from Princeton University in 1971.
Spight taught at Southern University in 1970, and he served as a tenured professor of physics at Morehouse
College from 1972 to 1980, where he eventually became chairman of the Department of Physics. In 1977,
Spight was a Visiting Professor of Physics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Center for Theoretical
Physics. From 1980 to 1983, he worked for AMAF Industries, where he became director of research. Spight
served as the chief of advanced technology programs, the director of engineering, and the chief scientist for
Chicago-based Sonicraft, Inc. from 1986 to 1989. As dean of the School of Arts and Sciences and executive
assistant to the president, Spight advised on all aspects of the consolidation of Clark Atlanta University from
1989 to 1990. He then served as chief scientist and regional manager of information systems for Jackson, Tull,
and Graham, Inc. from 1990 to 2000. Concurrently, he served as manager of academic services for the Offi ce of
Information Technology, City Colleges of Chicago from 1994 through 2000. Spight taught at and guided academic
programs for Chicago State University, Olive Harvey College, Providence St. Mel High School, North
Lawndale College Preparatory Center and the Betty Shabazz Charter School; all of these institutions and businesses
serve or originate from the African American community.
Later in his career, primarily as a statistical consultant, Spight served as the Vice President of Forte Development
Corporation in Columbia, Maryland. As statistical analyst for Oak Park River Forest High School’s Goals
2000 Project, Spight was a co-author of “The Learning Community Performance Gap: An Analysis of African
American Achievement at Oak Park River Forest High School, May 2003.” Author of numerous scientifi c
articles, Spight was also a featured presenter at the Olive Harvey Black Studies Conference for seventeen years.
Spight was the recipient of the William F. Thornton Award for Professional Achievement from the National
Technical Association in 1989 and the Distinguished Alumni Award from Princeton University, among many
other honors. Spight, an avid percussionist, often performed with his brother, Roy, a carver of African tongue
drums.
Together, Spight and his wife Marsha raised three children.
Discussion Questions
Personal:
1. What did you like best about listening to Dr. Spight?
2. What do you think Dr. Spight’s favorite quote means? What does this tell you about him?
3. Where was Dr. Spight born? Locate it on a map. How far away is this from where you live? What are
the names of his parents? Where did Dr. Spight attend high school? What do you suppose high school
was like for him?
4. How old are you? In what year was Dr. Spight your age? What was happening in the country that year?
What was happening in the world that year? What do you suppose his life was like when he was
your age?
5. Dr. Spight had to be at school early every day. Why? What did he do with this time? What kinds of
things do you like to learn about outside of school? How could these interests help you decide on a
career? (See Clip #2)
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Physics