Jerry Lawson was a black engineer that became something of a pioneer in modern gaming.

He headed the gaming division at Fairchild Semiconductor that rolled out The Fairchild Channel F. It was the first of its kind. Not only did Channel F use game cartridges––previously games had to be coded into the actual device prior to manufacturing in order to be played––but it was the first gaming console that allowed users to "pause" their game mid-play.

While this might seem like a small feature, it's inspiring to consider the influence Lawson has had on the hundreds of millions, if not billions, of gamers over the years. Lawson's Pause is a constant reminder that when shit hits the fan, it's okay to stop, take a step back and consider the best path forward.

In an interview with Vintage Computing and Gaming Magazine back in 2009, Lawson shared the following...

You've gotta step away from the crowd and go do your own thing. You find a ground, cover it, it's brand new, you're on your own—you're an explorer. That's about what it's going to be like. Explore new vistas, new avenues, new ways—not relying on everyone else's way to tell you which way to go, and how to go, and what you should be doing.

It seems the "pause" was more than just a feature to Lawson. It was a philosophy.