➰ Black History is Infinity Long before connectivity became assumed, the physical network that carried the world’s conversations was fragile. Mid-20th-century telecommunications relied on lead-coated cables. They were heavy, expensive, and environmentally hazardous. Plastic alternatives existed, but they degraded under heat, oxygen, and sunlight. Insulation cracked. Systems failed. Expanding telephone service required more than policy ambition. It required a material breakthrough. Walter Lincoln Hawkins delivered one. Born in Washington, D.C., in 1911, Hawkins trained as a chemical engineer at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute before earning advanced degrees from Howard University and McGill University. In 1942, he joined Bell Laboratories as its first Black employee. His work focused on polymer stabilization, a field that would determine whether plastics could survive real-world environmental stress. In 1956, Hawkins and his colleagues Vincent Lanza and Field Winslow developed a method to stabilize polyethylene, resulting in the polymer cable sheath. The innovation replaced lead insulation with a lighter, more durable material capable of withstanding decades of exposure. Production began in the 1960s, and the economic implications were immediate. Maintenance costs declined. System longevity increased. Universal telephone service became financially achievable. The impact was structural. Reliable communication at scale became materially possible. In 1975, Hawkins became the first Black engineer elected to the National Academy of Engineering. At Bell Labs, he also established programs that expanded research opportunities for minorities and women, recognizing that resilience in technology must be matched by resilience in institutions. Today, the durability standards he helped define remain embedded in global communications systems. Connection at scale was never inevitable. It was engineered — and that engineering deserves recognition. 📍 Follow along as we continue honoring the builders, the breakthroughs, and what comes next.