The bestselling book and film, ''

Hidden Figures ''Hidden Figures'' is a 2016 American Biographical film, biographical Drama (film and television), drama film directed by Theodore Melfi and written by Melfi and Allison Schroeder. It is loosely based on the 2016 non-fiction Hidden Figures (boo ...

'', celebrated the role of

African-American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from any of the Black racial groups of Africa. ...

women

mathematicians A mathematician is someone who uses an extensive knowledge of mathematics in their work, typically to solve mathematical problems. Mathematicians are concerned with numbers, data, quantity, structure, space, models, and change. History One ...

in the space race and the barriers they had to overcome to study and pursue a career in mathematics and related fields. Although much of African Americans' other achievements in careers in mathematical science, research, education, and applied fields have also been "hidden", the community of mathematicians has been growing. African Americans represented around 4-6% of the graduates majoring in mathematics and statistics in the US between 2000 and 2015. This list catalogs Wikipedia articles on African Americans in mathematics, as well as early recipients of doctoral degrees in mathematics and mathematics education, books and studies about African-American mathematicians, and other major landmarks.

Historical landmarks

1792:

Benjamin Banneker Benjamin Banneker (November 9, 1731October 19, 1806) was an American Natural history, naturalist, mathematician, astronomer and almanac author. A Land tenure, landowner, he also worked as a surveying, surveyor and farmer. Born in Baltimore Co ...

calculated planetary movements and predicted eclipses in his Almanac. 1867:

Howard University Howard University is a private, historically black, federally chartered research university in Washington, D.C., United States. It is classified among "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity" and accredited by the Mid ...

established its Department of Mathematics. 1895: Joseph Carter Corbin, president of Branch Normal College (now

University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB) is a Public University, public Historically black colleges and universities, historically black university in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. Founded in 1873, it is the second oldest public college or univer ...

), published his first problem in ''American Mathematical Monthly''. 1916: Dudley Weldon Woodard became a charter member of the

Mathematical Association of America The Mathematical Association of America (MAA) is a professional society that focuses on mathematics accessible at the undergraduate level. Members include university A university () is an educational institution, institution of tertiary edu ...

(MAA). 1925:

Elbert Frank Cox Elbert Frank Cox (5 December 1895 – 28 November 1969) was an American mathematician. He was the first African American to receive a PhD in mathematics, which he earned at Cornell University in 1925. Early life Cox was born in Evansvill ...

is the first African-American awarded a doctoral degree in mathematics, from

Cornell University Cornell University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university based in Ithaca, New York, United States. The university was co-founded by American philanthropist Ezra Cornell and historian and educator Andrew Dickson W ...

. 1929: Dudley Weldon Woodard is the first African-American mathematician known to publish in a mathematics journal, with the article "On two-dimensional analysis situs with special reference to the Jordan curve-theorem" in ''

Fundamenta Mathematicae ''Fundamenta Mathematicae'' is a peer-reviewed scientific journal of mathematics with a special focus on the foundations of mathematics, concentrating on set theory, mathematical logic, topology and its interactions with algebra, and dynamical sys ...

''. 1943: Euphemia Lofton Haynes is the first African-American woman to gain a doctoral degree in mathematics. 1951: The MAA Board of Governors adopted a resolution to conduct their scientific and business meetings, and social gatherings "without discrimination as to race, creed, or color". 1956:

Gloria Ford Gilmer Gloria C. Gilmer ( Ford; June 28, 1928 – August 25, 2021) was an American mathematician and educator, notable for being the first African American woman to publish a non-PhD thesis. Early life and education Gilmer was born in Baltimore, Mary ...

is believed to be the first African-American woman to publish mathematical research, co-authoring an article in ''Proceedings of the American Mathematical Society'' and another in ''Pacific Journal of Mathematics''. 1969: 17 African-American mathematicians met in New Orleans, forming the

National Association of Mathematicians The National Association of Mathematicians is a professional association for mathematicians in the US, especially African Americans and other minorities. It was founded in 1969.

to "promote excellence in the mathematical sciences and to promote the mathematical development of under-represented American minorities". 1973: Mathematician

David Blackwell David Harold Blackwell (April 24, 1919 – July 8, 2010) was an American statistician and mathematician who made significant contributions to game theory, probability theory, information theory, and statistics. He is one of the eponyms of the ...

becomes the first African-American in any field to be elected to membership of the National Academy of Sciences. 1976: Howard University establishes the first PhD program in mathematics at a

historically black college or university Historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) are institutions of higher education in the United States that were established before the Civil Rights Act of 1964 with the intention of serving African Americans. Most are in the Southern U ...

under mathematics department chair James Donaldson and professor J. Ernest Wilkins Jr. 1980: The Claytor Lecture – now the Claytor-Woodard Lecture in honor of William W S Claytor and Dudley Weldon Woodard – is established at MAA. 1982: Civil rights leader, Bob Moses (

Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee The Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, and later, the Student National Coordinating Committee (SNCC, pronounced ) was the principal channel of student commitment in the United States to the civil rights movement during the 1960s. Emer ...

), used his MacArthur Fellowship to start the

Algebra Project The Algebra Project is a national U.S. mathematics literacy program aimed at helping low-income students and students of color achieve the mathematical skills in high school that are a prerequisite for a college preparatory mathematics sequence. F ...

, a national mathematics literacy program for high schools. 1988: The MAA established a task force that led to the formation in 1990 of SUMMA, a program for the Strengthening of Underrepresented Minority Mathematics Achievement. Freeman Hrabowski 2012 Shankbone

1992: Mathematician

Freeman Hrabowski Freeman Alphonsa Hrabowski III (born August 13, 1950) is an American educator, advocate, and mathematician. In May 1992, he began his term as president of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), one of the twelve public universities ...

becomes president of the University of Maryland. 1994: The Blackwell Lecture is established for MAA meetings, jointly by MAA and NAM, as well as the NAM Wilkins Lecture and Bharucha-Reid Lecture. 1995: The first CAARMS – Conference for African American Researchers in Mathematical Sciences – was held, to highlight the work of researchers and students and encourage the careers of under-represented groups in mathematics. Proceedings are published by the

American Mathematical Society The American Mathematical Society (AMS) is an association of professional mathematicians dedicated to the interests of mathematical research and scholarship, and serves the national and international community through its publications, meetings, ...

in its Contemporary Mathematics series. 1997: Kathleen Adebola Okikiolu was the first African American awarded a

Sloan Research Fellowship The Sloan Research Fellowships are awarded annually by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation since 1955 to "provide support and recognition to early-career scientists and scholars". This program is one of the oldest of its kind in the United States. ...

and

Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers The Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) is the highest honor bestowed by the United States federal government on outstanding scientists and engineers in the early stages of their independent research careers. T ...

. 1997 Scott W. Williams produced the website Mathematicians of the African Diaspora, a collection of African-American mathematicians, newsletter, and resources on Africans in mathematics. By early 2007 it had close to 5 million visitors. The website has been cataloged by the Library of Congress. 1999: The mathematics departments of the 25 highest-ranked universities in the US had more than 900 faculty members, of whom 4 were African-American. 2003: Clarence F. Stephens is the first African-American to be honored with the

's (MAA) most prestigious award, for Distinguished Service to Mathematics. 2004: The

Association for Women in Mathematics The Association for Women in Mathematics (AWM) is a professional society whose mission is to encourage women and girls to study and to have active careers in the mathematical sciences, and to promote equal opportunity for and the equal treatment o ...

(AWM) and MAA formally established the Etta Zuber Falconer Lecture. 2015: Katherine Coleman Johnson received the

Presidential Medal of Freedom The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the highest civilian award of the United States, alongside the Congressional Gold Medal. It is an award bestowed by decision of the president of the United States to "any person recommended to the President ...

. 2016: ''

'', by Margot Lee Shetterley, is published, going on to win multiple awards and reach number 1 on the ''New York Times'' bestseller list. It tells the story of African-American women mathematicians at

NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agencies of the United States government, independent agency of the federal government of the United States, US federal government responsible for the United States ...

during the space race. 2017: The film adaptation, ''

'', is nominated for best movie at the Academy Awards, and

Katherine Johnson Creola Katherine Johnson (; August 26, 1918February 24, 2020) was an American mathematician whose calculations of orbital mechanics as a NASA employee were critical to the success of the first and subsequent U.S. crewed spaceflights.* During h ...

makes an appearance at the ceremony. 2020: The updated website Mathematicians of the African Diaspora debuts in October. The new site is supported by the

(NAM) and the Educational Advancement Foundation (EAF).

Doctoral degrees in mathematics

The lists of doctoral degrees, including the

Doctor of Philosophy A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD, DPhil; or ) is a terminal degree that usually denotes the highest level of academic achievement in a given discipline and is awarded following a course of Postgraduate education, graduate study and original resear ...

(PhD) in mathematics and

Doctor of Education Doctor, Doctors, The Doctor or The Doctors may refer to: Titles and occupations * Physician, a medical practitioner * Doctor (title), an academic title for the holder of a doctoral-level degree ** Doctorate ** List of doctoral degrees awarded ...

(EdD), draw from these sources: Turner (1971), Greene (1974), Williams (1997), Zeitz (2008), Shakil (2010), and the Mathematical Association of America. (Please add any further candidates for these lists here, or on the talk page.)

First men and women

These are the first 12 known PhDs by African-American men and women in mathematics, in alphabetical order for years with multiple doctorate holders, with women first.

Doctoral degrees 1925 to 1975

This list includes PhDs awarded to

African-Americans African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from any of the Black racial groups of Africa. ...

and to African immigrants by academic institutions in the United States.

Doctoral degrees in mathematics education to 1975

This list includes doctorates specifically in mathematics education and doctorates in education by mathematicians/mathematics educators.

Books and articles about African-American mathematicians

This list includes books and dissertations published about individual African-Americans in mathematics, and studies, biographical anthologies or histories dedicated to African-Americans in mathematics. ''(This list is incomplete. You can help by expanding it.)''

Individuals

* Benjamin Banneker: ** Bedini, Silvio A (1999). ''The life of Benjamin Banneker: the first African-American man of science''. Maryland Historical Society. ** Hinman, Bonnie (2000). ''Benjamin Banneker: American Mathematician and Astronomer (Colonial Leaders)''. * David Blackwell: ** Blackwell, David; Wilmot, Nadine (2003). ''An oral history with David Blackwell''. Bancroft Library. ** Black, Robert (2019). ''David Blackwell and the Deadliest Duel''. Royal Fireworks Press. * Joseph James Dennis: ** Williams, Sherese LaTrelle (2016). ''To Humbly Serve: Joseph James Dennis and His Contributions to Clark College''.

Clark Atlanta University Clark Atlanta University (CAU or Clark Atlanta) is a private, Methodist, historically black research university in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. It was founded on September19, 1865, as Atlanta University, it was the first HBCU in the South ...

. * Marjorie Kimbrough ** Kimbrouogh, Marjorie (1991). ''Accept no limitations: a black woman encounters corporate America''. Abingdon Press. * Shirley Mathis McBay: ** Verheyden-Hilliard, Mary Ellen (1985). ''Mathematician and Administrator, Shirley Mathis McBay''. Equity Institute. * J. Ernest Wilkins Jr.: ** Nkwanta, Asamoah; Barber, Janet E. (2018). "Episodes in the Life of a Genius: J. Ernest Wilkins Jr''."'' ''Notices of the American Mathematical Society. Volume 65, Number 2''.

Anthologies and studies

* Borum, Viveka; Hilton, Adriel Adon; Walker, Erica (2016). The Role of Black Colleges in the Development of Mathematicians. ''Journal of Research Initiatives''. * Carlson, Cob; Parks, Yolanda; et al. (1996). ''Breakthrough: profiles of scientists of color. Working with Numbers''. Blackside. * Dean, Nathaniel (ed) (1997). ''African Americans in mathematics: DIMACS workshop, June 26–28, 1996''. American Mathematical Society. * Farmer, Vernon L; Shepherd-Wynn, Evelyn (2012). ''Voices of historical and contemporary Black American pioneers''. * Harmon, Marylen; Guertler, Sherry (1994). ''Visions of a dream: history makers: contributions of Africans and African Americans in science and mathematics''. M.E. Harmon. * Houston, Johnny L (2000). ''The History of the National Association of Mathematicians (NAM): The First Thirty (30) Years, 1969–1999''. NAM. * Kenschaft, Patricia Clark (2005). ''Change is possible: Stories of women and minorities in mathematics.'' * Lang, Mozell P. ''Contributions of African American scientists and mathematicians''. Harcourt School Publishers. * Newell, Victoria; Gipson, Joella; Rich, Waldo L.; Stubblefield, B (1980). '' Black Mathematicians and Their Works.'' * Paul, Richard; Moss, Steven (2015). ''We Could Not Fail: The First African Americans in the Space Program''. University of Texas Press. * Shetterly, Margot Lee (2016). '' Hidden Figures: The American dream and the untold story of the black women mathematicians who helped win the space race.'' * Walker, Erica N (2014). ''Beyond Banneker: Black mathematicians and the path to excellence''. * Williams, Lisa D (2000). ''The trials, tribulations, and triumphs of black faculty in the math and science pipeline: a life history approach'' (Dissertation). University of Massachusetts at Amherst. * Williams, Talithia M (2018). '' Power in numbers: The rebel women of mathematics''. Race Point Publishing.

For young people

* Becker, Helaine; Phumiruk, Dow (2018). ''Counting on Katherine: How Katherine Johnson Saved Apollo 13''. Henry Holt and co. * Pinkney, Andrea Davis (1998). ''Dear Benjamin Banneker''. * Schwartz, Heather E (2017). ''NASA Mathematician Katherine Johnson''. Lerner Publications. * Shetterly, Margot Lee; Conkling, Winifred; Freeman, Laura (2018). ''Hidden Figures: The True Story of Four Black Women and the Space Race.'' HarperCollins.

List of Wikipedia articles

This list includes Wikipedia articles for people from the

African diaspora The African diaspora is the worldwide collection of communities descended from List of ethnic groups of Africa, people from Africa. The term most commonly refers to the descendants of the native West Africa, West and Central Africans who were ...

who have postgraduate degrees in mathematics or statistics, have worked in mathematics, or are known for mathematical accomplishments in the United States (

). The list is grouped by the time the person's first degree in mathematics was awarded, or when they began their work in mathematics. Individuals are listed alphabetically within time periods. PhDs in mathematics education are included.

Before 1900

(1731–1806) * Kelly Miller (1863–1939), degrees from

, including law degree *

Charles Reason Charles Lewis Reason (July 21, 1818 – August 16, 1893) was an American mathematician, linguist, and educator. He was the first black college professor in the United States, teaching at New York Central College, McGrawville. He was born and di ...

(1818–1893) *

Thomas Fuller Thomas Fuller (baptised 19 June 1608 – 16 August 1661) was an English churchman and historian. He is now remembered for his writings, particularly his ''Worthies of England'', published in 1662, after his death. He was a prolific author, and ...

(1710–1782)

1900s

* Dudley Weldon Woodard (1881–1965), degrees from

Wilberforce University Wilberforce University (WU) is a private university in Wilberforce, Ohio. It is one of three historically black universities established before the American Civil War. Founded in 1856 by the Methodist Episcopal Church (MEC), it is named after ...

University of Chicago The University of Chicago (UChicago, Chicago, or UChi) is a Private university, private research university in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Its main campus is in the Hyde Park, Chicago, Hyde Park neighborhood on Chicago's South Side, Chic ...

University of Pennsylvania The University of Pennsylvania (Penn or UPenn) is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. One of nine colonial colleges, it was chartered in 1755 through the efforts of f ...

(PhD)

1910s

(1895–1969), degrees from

Indiana University Indiana University (IU) is a state university system, system of Public university, public universities in the U.S. state of Indiana. The system has two core campuses, five regional campuses, and two regional centers under the administration o ...

(PhD) * Euphemia Haynes (1890–1980),

Smith College Smith College is a Private university, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts Women's colleges in the United States, women's college in Northampton, Massachusetts, United States. It was chartered in 1871 by Sophia Smit ...

Catholic University of America The Catholic University of America (CUA) is a private Catholic research university in Washington, D.C., United States. It is one of two pontifical universities of the Catholic Church in the United States – the only one that is not primarily a ...

(PhD)

1920s

* Joseph J. Dennis (1905–1977), degrees from Clark College,

Northwestern University Northwestern University (NU) is a Private university, private research university in Evanston, Illinois, United States. Established in 1851 to serve the historic Northwest Territory, it is the oldest University charter, chartered university in ...

(PhD) *

Angie Turner King Angie Lena Turner King (December 9, 1905February 28, 2004) was an American chemist, mathematician, and educator. King was an instructor of chemistry and mathematics at West Virginia State High School, and a professor of chemistry and mathematic ...

(1905–2004), degrees from

West Virginia State College West Virginia State University (WVSU) is a public historically black, land-grant university in Institute, West Virginia, United States. Founded in 1891 as the West Virginia Colored Institute. It is one of the original 19 land-grant colleges a ...

, including chemistry,

University of Pittsburgh The University of Pittsburgh (Pitt) is a Commonwealth System of Higher Education, state-related research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. The university is composed of seventeen undergraduate and graduate schools and colle ...

(PhD, mathematics education) * Georgia Caldwell Smith (1909–1961), degrees from

University of Kansas The University of Kansas (KU) is a public research university with its main campus in Lawrence, Kansas, United States. Two branch campuses are in the Kansas City metropolitan area on the Kansas side: the university's medical school and hospital ...

(PhD) *

Dorothy Vaughan Dorothy Jean Johnson Vaughan (September 20, 1910 – November 10, 2008) was an American mathematician and human computer who worked for the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA), and NASA, at Langley Research Center in Hampton, ...

(1910–2008), degree from

1930s

(1919–2010), degrees from

University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC, U of I, Illinois, or University of Illinois) is a public land-grant research university in the Champaign–Urbana metropolitan area, Illinois, United States. Established in 1867, it is the f ...

(PhD) *

Marjorie Lee Browne Marjorie Lee Browne (September 9, 1914 – October 19, 1979) was a mathematics educator. She was one of the first African-American women to receive a PhD in mathematics. Early life and education She attended Howard University, majoring in mat ...

(1914–1979), degrees from

University of Michigan The University of Michigan (U-M, U of M, or Michigan) is a public university, public research university in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1817, it is the oldest institution of higher education in the state. The University of Mi ...

(PhD) *

(1918–2020), degree from

* Clarence F. Stephens (1917–2018), degrees from

Johnson C. Smith University Johnson C. Smith University (JCSU) is a private historically black university in Charlotte, North Carolina, United States. It is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA) and accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SAC ...

(PhD)

1940s

* Albert Turner Bharucha-Reid (1927–1985), degree from

Iowa State University Iowa State University of Science and Technology (Iowa State University, Iowa State, or ISU) is a Public university, public land-grant university, land-grant research university in Ames, Iowa, United States. Founded in 1858 as the Iowa Agricult ...

, degrees from

Morgan State University Morgan State University (Morgan State or MSU) is a Public university, public historically black colleges and universities, historically black research university in Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland. It is the largest of Maryland's historically bla ...

Marquette University Marquette University () is a Private university, private Jesuit research university in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. It was established as Marquette College on August 28, 1881, by John Henni, the first Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Ar ...

(PhD, education) *

Evelyn Boyd Granville Evelyn Boyd Granville (May 1, 1924 – June 27, 2023) was an American mathematician and computer scientist. She was the second African-American woman to receive a Ph.D. in mathematics from an American university; she earned it in 1949 from Yale ...

(1924–2023),

Yale University Yale University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701, Yale is the List of Colonial Colleges, third-oldest institution of higher education in the United Stat ...

(PhD) * Mary Winston Jackson (1921–2005), degree from

Hampton Institute Hampton University is a private, historically black, research university in Hampton, Virginia, United States. Founded in 1868 as Hampton Agricultural and Industrial School, it was established by Black and White leaders of the American Missiona ...

* Eleanor Green Dawley Jones (1929–2021), degrees from

Syracuse University Syracuse University (informally 'Cuse or SU) is a Private university, private research university in Syracuse, New York, United States. It was established in 1870 with roots in the Methodist Episcopal Church but has been nonsectarian since 1920 ...

(PhD) * Abdulalim A. Shabazz (1927–2014), degrees from

Lincoln University (Pennsylvania) Lincoln University (LU) is a public state-related historically black university (HBCU) near Oxford, Pennsylvania. Founded as the private Ashmun Institute in 1854, it has been a public institution since 1972. Lincoln is also recognized as th ...

Massachusetts Institute of Technology The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a Private university, private research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Established in 1861, MIT has played a significant role in the development of many areas of moder ...

(MIT),

(PhD) *

Louise Nixon Sutton Louise Nixon Sutton (November 4, 1925 – May 14, 2006) was a mathematician. She was the first African-American woman to be awarded a PhD in mathematics education by New York University, and the first chair of the Department of Physical Sciences ...

(1925–2006), degrees from

North Carolina A&T State University North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (also known as North Carolina A&T State University, North Carolina A&T, N.C. A&T, or simply A&T) is a public university, public, Historically black colleges and universities, historicall ...

New York University New York University (NYU) is a private university, private research university in New York City, New York, United States. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded in 1832 by Albert Gallatin as a Nondenominational ...

(PhD, education) * J. Ernest Wilkins, Jr. (1923–2011), degrees from

(including degrees in engineering)

1950s

Geraldine Claudette Darden Geraldine Claudette Darden (born July 22, 1936) is an American mathematician. She was the fourteenth African American woman to earn a Ph.D. in mathematics. Early life and education Darden was born in Nansemond County, Virginia. Darden earned a b ...

(born 1936), degrees from

University of Illinois The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC, U of I, Illinois, or University of Illinois) is a public university, public land-grant university, land-grant research university in the Champaign–Urbana metropolitan area, Illinois, United ...

(PhD) * M. Lovenia DeConge-Watson (born 1933), degrees from Seton Hill College,

Louisiana State University Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, commonly referred to as Louisiana State University (LSU), is an American Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Baton Rouge, Louis ...

, St. Louis University (PhD) *

Annie Easley Annie Easley (April 23, 1933 – June 25, 2011) was an African American computer scientist and mathematician who made critical contributions to NASA's rocket systems and energy technologies. Easley's early work involved running simulations at NA ...

(1933–2011), degrees from

Xavier University Xavier University ( ) is a private Jesuit university in Cincinnati, Ohio, United States. It is the sixth-oldest Catholic and fourth-oldest Jesuit university in the United States. Xavier had an enrollment of approximately 5,600 undergraduate an ...

, mathematics at

Cleveland State University Cleveland State University (CSU) is a public research university in Cleveland, Ohio, United States. It was established in 1964 and opened for classes in 1965 after acquiring the entirety of Fenn College, a private school that had been in oper ...

Etta Zuber Falconer Etta Zuber Falconer (November 21, 1933 – September 19, 2002) was an American educator and mathematician the bulk of whose career was spent at Spelman College, where she eventually served as department head and associate provost. She was one of ...

(1933–2002), degrees from

Fisk University Fisk University is a Private university, private Historically black colleges and universities, historically black Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Nashville, Tennessee. It was founded in 1866 and its campus i ...

University of Wisconsin A university () is an institution of tertiary education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. ''University'' is derived from the Latin phrase , which roughly means "community of teachers and scholars". Uni ...

Emory University Emory University is a private university, private research university in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. It was founded in 1836 as Emory College by the Methodist Episcopal Church and named in honor of Methodist bishop John Emory. Its main campu ...

(PhD) *

William Thomas Fletcher William Thomas Fletcher is an American mathematician. Education He received the B.S.(magna cum laude) and M.S. degrees (major in mathematics) from North Carolina Central University (NCCU), Durham, NC in 1956 and 1958 respectively. He received the ...

, degrees from

North Carolina Central University North Carolina Central University (NCCU or NC Central) is a Public university, public Historically black colleges and universities, historically black university in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by James E. Shepard in affiliati ...

University of Idaho The University of Idaho (U of I, or UIdaho) is a public land-grant research university in Moscow, Idaho, United States. Established in 1889 and opened three years later, it was the state's sole university for 71 years, until 1963. The un ...

(PhD) * Gloria Conyers Hewitt (born 1935), degrees from

University of Washington The University of Washington (UW and informally U-Dub or U Dub) is a public research university in Seattle, Washington, United States. Founded in 1861, the University of Washington is one of the oldest universities on the West Coast of the Uni ...

(PhD) *

Vivienne Malone-Mayes Vivienne Lucille Malone-Mayes ( Malone; February 10, 1932 – June 9, 1995) was an American mathematician and professor. Malone-Mayes studied properties of functions, as well as methods of teaching mathematics.Fisk University Fisk University is a Private university, private Historically black colleges and universities, historically black Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Nashville, Tennessee. It was founded in 1866 and its campus i ...

University of Texas The University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin, UT, or Texas) is a public research university in Austin, Texas, United States. Founded in 1883, it is the flagship institution of the University of Texas System. With 53,082 students as of fall 2 ...

(PhD) *

Melba Roy Mouton Melba Roy Mouton (April 28, 1929 – June 25, 1990) was an African American mathematician who served as Assistant Chief of Research Programs at NASA's Trajectory and Geodynamics Division in the 1960s and headed a group of NASA mathematicians calle ...

(1929–1990), degrees from

Dolores Margaret Richard Spikes Dolores Margaret Richard Spikes (August 24, 1936 – June 1, 2015) was an American mathematician and university administrator. Biography Born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Baton Rouge, Dolores Richard attended public and parochial schools in tha ...

(1936–2015), degrees from

Southern University Southern University and A&M College (Southern University, Southern, SUBR or SU) is a Public university, public historically black colleges and universities, historically black land-grant university in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States. It i ...

(PhD) * Thyrsa Frazier Svager (1930–1999), degrees from

Antioch College Antioch College is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Yellow Springs, Ohio, United States. It was founded in 1850 by the Christian Connection and began operating in 1852 as a non-secta ...

Ohio State University The Ohio State University (Ohio State or OSU) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Columbus, Ohio, United States. A member of the University System of Ohio, it was founded in 1870. It is one ...

(PhD) *

Argelia Velez-Rodriguez Argelia Velez-Rodriguez (born 1936) is a Cuban-American mathematician and educator. She was the first Black woman to earn a doctorate in mathematics in Cuba. Early life When Argelia Velez-Rodriguez was growing up, her father worked in the governm ...

(b. 1936 in Cuba), degrees from Marianao Institute,

University of Havana The University of Havana (UH; ) is a public university located in the Vedado district of Havana, the capital of Cuba. Founded on 5 January 1728, the university is the oldest in Cuba, and one of the first to be founded in the Americas. Originall ...

(PhD) * Grace Alele Williams (1932–2022), degrees from

University of Ibadan The University of Ibadan (UI) is a public university located in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria. Initially founded as the University College Ibadan in 1948, it maintained its affiliation with the University of London. In 1962, it became an independe ...

(PhD, education)

1960s

* Sylvia D. Trimble Bozeman (born 1947), degrees from

Alabama A&M University Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University (Alabama A&M or AAMU) is a public historically black land-grant university in Normal, Huntsville, Alabama. Founded in 1875, it took its present name in 1969. It was one of about 180 " normal s ...

Vanderbilt University Vanderbilt University (informally Vandy or VU) is a private university, private research university in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Founded in 1873, it was named in honor of shipping and railroad magnate Cornelius Vanderbilt, who provide ...

(PhD) *

Christine Darden Christine Darden (born September 10, 1942, as Christine Mann) is an American mathematician, data analyst and aeronautical engineer who devoted much of her 40-year career in aerodynamics at NASA to research supersonic flight and sonic booms. She ...

(born 1942), degrees from

Virginia State University Virginia State University (VSU or Virginia State) is a Public university, public Historically black colleges and universities, historically Black land-grant university, land-grant university in Ettrick, Virginia, United States. Founded on , Vi ...

George Washington University The George Washington University (GW or GWU) is a Private university, private University charter#Federal, federally-chartered research university in Washington, D.C., United States. Originally named Columbian College, it was chartered in 1821 by ...

(PhD, engineering) *

Lloyd Demetrius Lloyd A. Demetrius is an American mathematician and theoretical biologist at the Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University. He is best known for the discovery of the concept of evolutionary entropy, a statistical pa ...

, degrees from

University of Cambridge The University of Cambridge is a Public university, public collegiate university, collegiate research university in Cambridge, England. Founded in 1209, the University of Cambridge is the List of oldest universities in continuous operation, wo ...

(PhD) * James A. Donaldson (1941–2019), degrees from

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC, U of I, Illinois, or University of Illinois) is a public land-grant research university in the Champaign–Urbana metropolitan area, Illinois, United States. Established in 1867, it is the f ...

(PhD) * Fern Y. Hunt (born 1948), degrees from

Bryn Mawr College Bryn Mawr College ( ; Welsh language, Welsh: ) is a Private college, private Women's colleges in the United States, women's Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as a ...

(PhD) * Jeanette Scissum, degrees from

, computer science PhD * Raymond L. Johnson (born 1943), degrees from

University of Texas at Austin The University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin, UT, or Texas) is a public university, public research university in Austin, Texas, United States. Founded in 1883, it is the flagship institution of the University of Texas System. With 53,082 stud ...

Rice University William Marsh Rice University, commonly referred to as Rice University, is a Private university, private research university in Houston, Houston, Texas, United States. Established in 1912, the university spans 300 acres. Rice University comp ...

(PhD) * Ronald Elbert Mickens (born 1943), degrees from

(PhD, physics) * Scott W. Williams (born 1943), degrees from

Lehigh University Lehigh University (LU), in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, United States, is a private university, private research university. The university was established in 1865 by businessman Asa Packer. Lehigh University's undergraduate programs have been mixed ...

(PhD)

1970s

Augustin Banyaga Augustin Banyaga (born March 31, 1947) is a Rwandan-born American mathematician whose research fields include symplectic topology and contact geometry. He is currently a Professor of Mathematics at Pennsylvania State University. Biography While ...

(born 1947 in Rwanda), degrees from

University of Geneva The University of Geneva (French: ''Université de Genève'') is a public university, public research university located in Geneva, Switzerland. It was founded in 1559 by French theologian John Calvin as a Theology, theological seminary. It rema ...

(PhD) * Emery N. Brown, degree from

Harvard College Harvard College is the undergraduate education, undergraduate college of Harvard University, a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Part of the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Scienc ...

and

Harvard University Harvard University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1636 and named for its first benefactor, the History of the Puritans in North America, Puritan clergyma ...

(PhD, statistics) * Freeman Alphonsa Hrabowski III (born 1950), degrees from

(PhD, higher education administration/statistics) * Iris Marie Mack, degrees from

Vassar College Vassar College ( ) is a private liberal arts college in Poughkeepsie, New York, United States. Founded in 1861 by Matthew Vassar, it was the second degree-granting institution of higher education for women in the United States. The college be ...

(double major with physics),

University of California, Los Angeles The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California, United States. Its academic roots were established in 1881 as a normal school the ...

(PhD) * Carolyn Ray Boone Mahoney (born 1946), degrees from

Siena College Siena College is a Private college, private Franciscan college in Loudonville, New York, United States. It was founded by the Order of Friars Minor in 1937 and is named after the Franciscan friar Bernardino of Siena. The college enrolls approxi ...

Ohio University Ohio University (Ohio or OU) is a Public university, public research university with its main campus in Athens, Ohio, United States. The university was first conceived in the 1787 contract between the United States Department of the Treasury#Re ...

(PhD) * William Alfred Massey (born 1956), degrees from

Princeton University Princeton University is a private university, private Ivy League research university in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth, New Jersey, Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the List of Colonial ...

Stanford University Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University, is a Private university, private research university in Stanford, California, United States. It was founded in 1885 by railroad magnate Leland Stanford (the eighth ...

(PhD) * Lee Stiff (1949–2021), degrees from

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC, UNC–Chapel Hill, or simply Carolina) is a public university, public research university in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States. Chartered in 1789, the university first began enrolli ...

Duke University Duke University is a Private university, private research university in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present-day city of Trinity, North Carolina, Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1 ...

North Carolina State University North Carolina State University (NC State, North Carolina State, NC State University, or NCSU) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. Founded in 1887 and p ...

(PhD, education)

1980s

Idris Assani Idris Assani is a Beninese mathematician, who works as a professor of mathematics at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Although born in Niger, Assani is Beninese. He was educated in France, earning a bachelor's degree in commerce f ...

(b. in

Niger Niger, officially the Republic of the Niger, is a landlocked country in West Africa. It is a unitary state Geography of Niger#Political geography, bordered by Libya to the Libya–Niger border, north-east, Chad to the Chad–Niger border, east ...

), degrees from

Paris Dauphine University Paris Dauphine University - PSL () is a Grande École and public institution of higher education and research based in Paris, France, Collegiate university, constituent college of PSL University. As of 2022, Dauphine has 9,400 students in 8 fields ...

Pierre and Marie Curie University Pierre and Marie Curie University ( , UPMC), also known as Paris VI, was a public research university in Paris, France, from 1971 to 2017. The university was located on the Jussieu Campus in the Latin Quarter of the 5th arrondissement of Paris, ...

(PhD, mathematics) * Emery Neal Brown, degrees from

(PhD, statistics) and

Harvard Medical School Harvard Medical School (HMS) is the medical school of Harvard University and is located in the Longwood Medical and Academic Area, Longwood Medical Area in Boston, Massachusetts. Founded in 1782, HMS is the third oldest medical school in the Un ...

(MD) * Melvin Currie (born 1948), degrees from

and

(PhD, mathematics) * Clifford Victor Johnson (b. 1968 in UK), degrees from

Imperial College London Imperial College London, also known as Imperial, is a Public university, public research university in London, England. Its history began with Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Prince Albert, husband of Queen Victoria, who envisioned a Al ...

and

University of Southampton The University of Southampton (abbreviated as ''Soton'' in post-nominal letters) is a public university, public research university in Southampton, England. Southampton is a founding member of the Russell Group of research-intensive universit ...

(PhD, mathematics and physics) * Bob Moses (1935–2021), degrees from

Hamilton College Hamilton College is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Clinton, Oneida County, New York, Clinton, New York. It was established as the Hamilton-Oneida Academy in 1793 and received its c ...

, and

(MA, philosophy); founder of

(1982) * Arlie Oswald Petters (b. 1964 in

Belize Belize is a country on the north-eastern coast of Central America. It is bordered by Mexico to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the east, and Guatemala to the west and south. It also shares a maritime boundary with Honduras to the southeast. P ...

), degrees from

City University of New York The City University of New York (CUNY, pronounced , ) is the Public university, public university system of Education in New York City, New York City. It is the largest urban university system in the United States, comprising 25 campuses: eleven ...

and

(PhD, mathematics) *

Janice B. Walker Janice B. Walker is an American mathematician who taught and served as an administrator at Xavier University in Cincinnati and Assistant to the President and Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer there. Biography Janice Anita Brown WalkerWalker ...

PhD, mathematics,

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor The University of Michigan (U-M, U of M, or Michigan) is a public research university in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1817, it is the oldest institution of higher education in the state. The University of Michigan is one of th ...

(1982) * Suzanne L. Weekes (b. in

Trinidad & Tobago Trinidad and Tobago, officially the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, is the southernmost island country in the Caribbean, comprising the main islands of Trinidad and Tobago, along with several smaller islets. The capital city is Port of Spai ...

), degrees from

and

(PhD, mathematics and scientific computing)

1990s

* Ron Buckmire (b. 1968 in

Grenada Grenada is an island country of the West Indies in the eastern Caribbean Sea. The southernmost of the Windward Islands, Grenada is directly south of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and about north of Trinidad and Tobago, Trinidad and the So ...

), degrees from

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (; RPI) is a private university, private research university in Troy, New York, United States. It is the oldest technological university in the English-speaking world and the Western Hemisphere. It was establishe ...

(PhD, mathematics) * Toka Diagana (b. in

Mauritania Mauritania, officially the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, is a sovereign country in Maghreb, Northwest Africa. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the west, Western Sahara to Mauritania–Western Sahara border, the north and northwest, ...

, degrees from

Tunis El Manar University The University of Tunis El Manar (UTM, , ) is a university located in Tunis, Tunisia. It was founded in 2000 and is organized in 11 Faculties. Ranking According to URAP (University Ranking by Academic Performance) ranking of 2019–2020, it i ...

and

Claude Bernard University Lyon 1 Claude Bernard University Lyon 1 (, UCBL) is one of the three public universities of Lyon, France. It is named after the French physiologist Claude Bernard and specialises in science and technology, medicine, and sports science. It was establis ...

(PhD, mathematics *

Edray Goins Edray Herber Goins (born June 29, 1972, Los Angeles) is an American mathematician. He specializes in number theory and algebraic geometry. His interests include Selmer groups for elliptic curves using class groups of number fields, Belyi functi ...

(born 1972), degrees from

California Institute of Technology The California Institute of Technology (branded as Caltech) is a private research university in Pasadena, California, United States. The university is responsible for many modern scientific advancements and is among a small group of institutes ...

and

(PhD, mathematics) * Rudy Horne (1968–2017), degrees from

University of Oklahoma The University of Oklahoma (OU) is a Public university, public research university in Norman, Oklahoma, United States. Founded in 1890, it had existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two territories became the ...

and

University of Colorado Boulder The University of Colorado Boulder (CU Boulder, CU, or Colorado) is a public research university in Boulder, Colorado, United States. Founded in 1876, five months before Colorado became a state, it is the flagship university of the University o ...

(PhD, applied mathematics); mathematical consultant for the movie ''

'' * Trachette Jackson (born 1972), degrees from

Arizona State University Arizona State University (Arizona State or ASU) is a public university, public research university in Tempe, Arizona, United States. Founded in 1885 as Territorial Normal School by the 13th Arizona Territorial Legislature, the university is o ...

and

(PhD, mathematics) * Chawne Kimber (born 1971), degrees from

University of North Carolina The University of North Carolina is the Public university, public university system for the state of North Carolina. Overseeing the state's 16 public universities and the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics, it is commonly referre ...

and

University of Florida The University of Florida (Florida or UF) is a public university, public land-grant university, land-grant research university in Gainesville, Florida, United States. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida and a preem ...

(PhD, mathematics) * Marilyn Strutchens (born 1962), degrees from the

University of Georgia The University of Georgia (UGA or Georgia) is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university with its main campus in Athens, Georgia, United States. Chartered in 1785, it is the oldest public university in th ...

(PhD, mathematics education) * Aissa Wade (b. 1967 in Senegal), degrees from University Montpellier 2, France (PhD, mathematics) * Talitha Washington (born 1974), degrees from

Spelman College Spelman College is a Private college, private, Historically black colleges and universities, historically black, Women's colleges in the United States, women's Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Atlanta, Georgia ...

and

University of Connecticut The University of Connecticut (UConn) is a public land-grant research university system with its main campus in Storrs, Connecticut, United States. It was founded in 1881 as the Storrs Agricultural School, named after two benefactors. In 1893, ...

(PhD, mathematics)

2000s

Carla Cotwright-Williams Carla Denise Cotwright-Williams (born November 6) is an American mathematician who works as a Technical Director and Data Scientist for the United States Department of Defense. She was the second African-American woman to earn a doctorate in math ...

(born 1973), degrees from

California State University, Long Beach California State University, Long Beach (CSULB), also known in athletics as Long Beach State University (LBSU), is a public teaching-focused institution in Long Beach, California, United States. The 322-acre campus is the second largest in the ...

, and

University of Mississippi The University of Mississippi (Epithet, byname Ole Miss) is a Public university, public research university in University, near Oxford, Mississippi, United States, with a University of Mississippi Medical Center, medical center in Jackson, Miss ...

(PhD, mathematics) *

Christina Eubanks-Turner Christina Eubanks-Turner is a professor of mathematics in the Seaver College of Science and Engineering at Loyola Marymount University (LMU). Her academic areas of interest include graph theory, commutative algebra, mathematics education, and mat ...

, degrees from

Xavier University of Louisiana Xavier University of Louisiana (XULA) is a Private university, private Historically black colleges and universities, historically black Roman Catholic, Catholic university in New Orleans, Louisiana. It is the only Catholic Historically black c ...

and

University of Nebraska-Lincoln A university () is an institution of tertiary education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. ''University'' is derived from the Latin phrase , which roughly means "community of teachers and scholars". Uni ...

(PhD, mathematics) * Omayra Ortega, degrees from

Pomona College Pomona College ( ) is a private university, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Claremont, California. It was established in 1887 by a group of Congregationalism in the United States, Congregationalists ...

and

University of Iowa The University of Iowa (U of I, UIowa, or Iowa) is a public university, public research university in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. Founded in 1847, it is the oldest and largest university in the state. The University of Iowa is organized int ...

(PhD, mathematics) * Candice Price, degrees from

California State University, Chico California State University, Chico (Chico State) is a public university in Chico, California. It was founded in 1887 as one of about 180 "normal schools" founded by state governments in the 19th century to train teachers for the rapidly growing ...

San Francisco State University San Francisco State University (San Francisco State, SF State and SFSU) is a Public university, public research university in San Francisco, California, United States. It was established in 1899 as the San Francisco State Normal School and is ...

, and

(PhD, mathematics) * Dionne Price, degrees from

Norfolk State University Norfolk State University (NSU) is a Public university, public Historically black colleges and universities, historically black university in Norfolk, Virginia. It is a member of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund and Virginia High-Tech Partnersh ...

, and

(PhD, biostatistics) *

Chelsea Walton Chelsea Walton is an American mathematician whose research interests include noncommutative algebra, noncommutative algebraic geometry, symmetry in quantum mechanics, Hopf algebras, and quantum groups. She is an associate professor at Rice Unive ...

(born 1983), degrees from

Michigan State University Michigan State University (Michigan State or MSU) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in East Lansing, Michigan, United States. It was founded in 1855 as the Agricultural College of the State o ...

and the

(PhD, mathematics) *

Talithia Williams Talithia D. Williams is an American Statistician. She also serves as a Mathematician Professor and Mathematics Clinic Director at Harvey Mudd College, who researches the spatiotemporal structure of data. Williams was the first African America ...

, degrees from

(PhD, statistics) *

Ulrica Wilson Ulrica Wilson is a mathematician specializing in the theory of noncommutative rings and in the combinatorics of matrices. She is an associate professor at Morehouse College, associate director of diversity and outreach at the Institute for Computat ...

, degrees from

and

(PhD, mathematics)

2010s

John Urschel John Cameron Urschel Jr. (born June 24, 1991) is a Canadian mathematician and former professional football guard. He played college football at Penn State and was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the fifth round of the 2014 NFL draft. Urschel ...

(b. 1991 in

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

), degrees from

Pennsylvania State University The Pennsylvania State University (Penn State or PSU) is a Public university, public Commonwealth System of Higher Education, state-related Land-grant university, land-grant research university with campuses and facilities throughout Pennsyl ...

(MS, Mathematics) and the

(Ph.D., Mathematics)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:African-American mathematicians

Mathematicians A mathematician is someone who uses an extensive knowledge of mathematics in their work, typically to solve mathematical problems. Mathematicians are concerned with numbers, data, quantity, structure, space, models, and change. History One ...