Amanda Eunice Cheatham ( January 10, 1903 – April 10, 1978) was an American biologist. She was the first woman of color to deliver a research paper to the Virginia Academy of Science, having done so in 1939.

Early life and education

Amanda E. Peele was born on January 10, 1903, in

Jackson, North Carolina Jackson is a town in Northampton County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 513 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Northampton County. Jackson is part of the Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina Micropolitan Statistical Are ...

. A 1923 graduate of Northampton County Training School, Peele earned a Bachelor of Science degree from

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

in 1930. After winning a fellowship from the

General Education Board The General Education Board was a private organization which was used primarily to support higher education and medical schools in the United States, and to help rural white and black schools in the South, as well as modernize farming practices in ...

, she earned a

Master of Science A Master of Science ( la, Magisterii Scientiae; abbreviated MS, M.S., MSc, M.Sc., SM, S.M., ScM or Sc.M.) is a master's degree in the field of science awarded by universities in many countries or a person holding such a degree. In contrast ...

degree from

Cornell University Cornell University is a private statutory land-grant research university based in Ithaca, New York. It is a member of the Ivy League. Founded in 1865 by Ezra Cornell and Andrew Dickson White, Cornell was founded with the intention to ...

in 1934. Her thesis, entitled ''Floral anatomy of Trapa natans'', was a study of

water caltrop The water caltrop is any of three extant species of the genus ''Trapa'': ''Trapa natans'', ''Trapa bicornis'' and the endangered ''Trapa rossica''. It is also known as buffalo nut, bat nut, devil pod, ling gok ( Chinese: 菱角), ling nut, lin ko ...

s. At Cornell, Peele studied under

Arthur Johnson Eames Arthur Johnson Eames (October 10, 1881 – February 12, 1969) was an American botanist who spent over 50 years as faculty member and emeritus professor of botany at Cornell University, known for his work on flower anatomy and plant morphology. He s ...

, William J. Hamilton, Jr., and

Albert Hazen Wright Albert Hazen Wright (August 15, 1879 – July 5, 1970) was an American herpetologist and professor at Cornell University. He was also an honorary member of the International Ornithological Congress. He did a great deal of study of the Okefenokee ...

Academic career

In 1930, Peele was hired as an

assistant professor Assistant Professor is an academic rank just below the rank of an associate professor used in universities or colleges, mainly in the United States and Canada. Overview This position is generally taken after earning a doctoral degree and gene ...

at Hampton Institute, where she taught biology until her retirement in 1972. In 1941, she served as a regional director of the National Association of College Women. In 1970, she was awarded the Christian R. and Mary F. Lindback Distinguished Teaching Award by Hampton University. She was president of the National Hampton Alumni Association from 1970 to 1977.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Peele, Amanda E. Hampton University faculty American women academics American women biologists 20th-century American biologists 20th-century African-American scientists Cornell University alumni 1903 births 1978 deaths 20th-century African-American women 20th-century African-American academics 20th-century American academics 20th-century American women scientists