Google Doodle honors video game trailblazer Gerald “Jerry” Lawson
Google Doodle honored gaming pioneer Gerald “Jerry” Lawson Thursday — on what would have been his 82nd birthday — with an interactive game for site visitors to play.
Considered one of the fathers of modern gaming, Lawson helped to develop the first home video gaming system with interchangeable game cartridges, and even founded his own company, Video Soft, in the early 1980s, which became one of the earliest Black-owned video game development companies, according to Google.
Liz Hafalia/The San Francisco Chronicle/Getty Images
“He loved what he did and did what he loved,” his children Anderson and Karen Lawson wrote in a statement. His professional achievements were remarkable, considering the obvious challenges faced by African-Americans at that time. “
Lawson died in 2011, but that same year he was recognized by the International Game Developers Association as an industry trailblazer for his contributions to gaming. Google stated that his achievements were also honored at the World Video Game Hall of Fame, New York.
” We would like to thank Google that allowed us to share the story of our father in this Doodle,” Lawson and his children stated. “May his story inspire many young people around the world to achieve extraordinary things. “
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Tre’Vaughn Howard is a producer/journalist for CBS News. He focuses on international and cultural stories.
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I have been writing professionally for over 20 years and have a deep understanding of the psychological and emotional elements that affect people. I’m an experienced ghostwriter and editor, as well as an award-winning author of five novels.
