These Young Black People Are Real Geniuses
All parents believe that their babies are geniuses, but these kids really are! From toddlers to college students, these young Black people have cracked thousands of years old math equations, been accepted to prestigious schools, and have high IQs than the most respected people in our societies. Here are their stories!
Alena Analeigh Wicker
Alena Analeigh Wicker, 13, is the youngest Black person to ever be accepted into medical school. She is an undergraduate student at Arizona State University and Oakwood University and plans on attending medical school at Heersink School of Medicine at the University of Alabama at Birmingham in 2024.
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Calcea Johnson & Ne’Kiya Jackson
High schoolers find new way to solve Pythagorean theorem
In March 2023, high schoolers Calcea Johnson and Ne’kiya Jackson from St. Mary’s Academy in New Orleans did what mathematicians thought was impossible, solving the Pythagorean Theorem using trigonometry.
Kashe Quest
In 2021, two-year-old Kashe Quest became the youngest American member of Mensa, an organization exclusively for people who score in or above the 98th percentile on IQ tests. Quest’s IQ test results were a whopping 146.
David Balogun
This 9-year-old college student wants to be an astrophysicist
Nine-year-old David Balogun made history this year by being the second youngest person ever to graduate from high school. He is now enrolled in online classes at Bucks County Community College in Pennsylvania. He hopes to obtain his doctorate at the age of 13.
Morehouse College
In April 2022, four Morehouse students became the winners of a $75,000 institutional grant for the 33rd Honda Campus All-Star Challenge, an academic competition for HBCUs. Stephen Agyepong ’22, Andre Brown ‘23, Isaiah Thompson ’22, and Kendall Wood ’23 used their combined knowledge of various topics like pop culture, science, and history. Their coach is Robert Myrick ‘13.
Ramarni Wilfred
Could you beat a ‘child genius’ in an IQ test? - BBC London
At age 11, Ramarni Wilfred scored a 162 IQ, which is higher than Bill Gates, Stephen Hawking, and Albert Einstein’s estimated IQ of 160. He went on to attend Oxford University.
Damilola Awofisayo
Damilola Awofisayo is a Duke University student, an Apple WWDC scholarship winner, and the founder of TecHacks. TecHacks is an all-female and non-binary student virtual hackathon with over 800 participants from 60 countries.
Dennis Barnes
New Orleans senior received 125 college offers and $9 million in scholarships l GMA
New Orleans high school senior Dennis Barnes has beaten the Guinness Book World Record for the most amount of scholarship money ever with over $9 million as well as a record number of college and university acceptances with 125. His GPA is an impressive 4.98.
Howard Esports Team
In April 2023, Howard University’s Esports “Cold Steel” team won $80,000 at the Mountain Dew Real Change esports tournament, competing against 15 other HBCUs.
Justus Williams
Chess master Justus Williams brings a new world of queens and kings to underserved communities
Now 24-year-old Justus Williams became the youngest Black national chess master in 2013 at only 12 years old in the U.S. Junior Open. As he continues to compete, he is also teaching children in the St. Louis area in an organization he directs called Black Squares.
Rochelle Ballantyne
New York native and law student Rochelle Ballantyne is ranked an expert by the U.S. Chess Federation, making her one of the top female chess players in the United States. She currently has her sights set on becoming the first Black female chess master in history.
Jude Kofie
Miracle child Jude Kofie surprised his father in 2022 when he heard his son, who had never received a piano lesson in his life, perfectly playing the piano. Jude has autism and had a tough first few years of life due to health issues, but has become stronger as the days go by, now being recognized as a musical prodigy.
Jones Mays II
At only 17 years old, high school student Jones Mays II became one of the winners of Apple’s 2022 Swift Student Challenge by creating the app Ivy. Ivy identifies plants and was inspired by gardening with his grandfather.
Courtney Toran
All-American cheerleader and class president Courtney Toran is completing her senior year with an associate’s degree and two more accomplishments, being accepted into over 20 colleges and universities and earning over $700,000 in scholarship offers. She has decided to attend Regent University to study psychology.
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