Roy Clay Sr., a profound leader in the technology industry whose influence reigned over Silicon Valley for 50 years, passed away at 95, USA Today reports. Clay’s family confirmed he died in his Oakland, California, home on Sept. 29 after dealing with declining health issues.
Clay was awarded at BLACK ENTERPRISE’s first TechConnext Summit back in 2015.
Known as a key component to the development of the personal computer and tech giant Hewlett-Packard, Clay was nicknamed the “godfather of Silicon Valley” for his role in breaking down racial barriers in a predominately white industry.
He was the first African American to start a tech company, ROD-L Electronics, in 1977. He used his talents to recruit diverse engineers, including math and science graduates from historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs).
Accredited technology leaders like Ken Coleman label Clay as one of the many forgotten hidden figures in the tech world and says his contributions should be celebrated at all costs.
“He should go down in history as one of the leading early figures that put Silicon Valley on the map,” Coleman said in a BE interview.
“He was a technical genius and an amazingly kind and generous human being −- a great example of both a professional businessman and a committed citizen and neighbor.”
As other prominent Silicon Valley leaders have letters and papers historically archived, Clay made sure his story was told through his own words in his 2022 memoir, “Unstoppable: The Unlikely Story of a Silicon Valley Godfather” with the assistance of his sons and biographer, M.H. Jackson. Clay’s journey into the tech industry started by doing his school work by candlelight while growing up in Missouri until his father learned to install electricity in the house.
Clay’s mo
ther instilled in him the importance of education at an early age, which resulted in Clay being one of the first Black Americans to graduate from a previously all-white school in a former slave state. The tech pioneer received his degree in mathematics from St. Louis University, which landed him a job interview for an engineer position at McDonnell Aircraft Manufacturing in St. Louis.However, Clay was turned away because the company didn’t have jobs for “professional Negroes.”
The experience did not deter Clay from advancing in the technology field. Clay relocated to California to take on a job at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory to work on radiation tracking software that would map out the aftermath of a nuclear explosion. In his book, he celebrated that accomplishment.
“I was no longer that poor little Black kid from a segregated town in the Midwest. I was breaking barriers in a new field of technology and making some groundbreaking accomplishments,” he wrote.
“If only the boys back home at the pool hall could see me now.”
Clay made other strides outside of the world of tech. According to Palo Alto Online, the pioneer was a leader in the community, making history as the first African American to sit on the Palo Alto City Council, only to become the vice mayor later. He was also a keen golfer and became the first Black member of one of the oldest athletic clubs in the country, the Olympic Club. The tech guru also held the title of club president down the line.
His son, Chris, also an SAP executive, says his dad was determined to beat all odds and is proud to call him “dad.”
“Despite being rejected from jobs based solely on race early in his career, he was determined to succeed — driven primarily by his mother’s advice early in life to never let racism be a reason why he doesn’t succeed,” Chris said.
“Combining his education with a strong work ethic, genuine concern about people, and an unstoppable spirit, he was able to trailblaze the way for himself and others. He succeeded wherever he worked, breaking through barriers and opening doors for others.”
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