6. Norbert Rillieux (United States)
Norbert Rillieux, born to a wealthy white planter and a free woman of color in New Orleans, transformed the sugar industry with his invention of the multiple-effect evaporator. Despite his groundbreaking contributions, Rillieux was often subjected to racial discrimination, prompting him to spend much of his later life in France. His remarkable engineering achievements remain influential in industrial processes even today. Rillieux’s story highlights both the barriers and brilliance of mixed-race innovators. See details
