Edward Alexander Bouchet: First African-American to earn a Ph.D. from American university

Black History Month Person Of The Day

Edward Alexander Bouchet was an African American physicist and educator and was the first African-American to earn a Ph.D. from any American university, completing his dissertation in physics at Yale in 1876. On the basis of his academic record he was elected to the Phi Beta Kappa Society.

Although Bouchet was elected to Phi Beta Kappa along with other members of the Yale class of 1874, the official induction did not take place until 1884, when the Yale chapter was reorganized after thirteen years of inactivity. Because of the circumstances, Bouchet was not the first African American elected to Phi Beta Kappa as many historical accounts state; that honor belongs to George Washington Henderson (University of Vermont). Bouchet was also among the first 20 Americans (of any race) to receive a Ph.D. in physics and was the sixth to earn a Ph.D. in physics from Yale.

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Rep. Payne, Jr. Skips State of the Union address

Congressman Donald M. Payne Jr. (NJ 10th District) released the following statement regarding his decision not to attend President Trump’s State of the Union address tonight.

“I refuse to support a President who has spent his entire term promoting his interests ahead of the public good,” said Congressman Payne, Jr. “Traditionally, the State of the Union address has been a time for the President of the United States to be accountable to the people for the job he is doing. But the Republican Senate has proven that President Trump is not accountable to the people and that his actions to solicit election interference from Ukraine do not constitute a serious violation of public trust. This is not what the Founding Fathers had in mind when they wrote the Constitution and created American democracy. So I will not attend the State of the Union to protest the president’s actions as well as support my House colleagues who voted to impeach the president and hold him accountable. I go to a State of the Union address to hear the President. I do not go to hear a self-appointed King.”

Rep. Maxine Waters not attending 2020 State of the Union speech

Rep. Maxine Waters (CA 43rd District) has released a statement via Twitter stating that she will not be attending the 2020 State of the Union speech:

To think that I would attend the #SOTU to hear the message of an IMPEACHED president is a thought that in no way would be consistent w/ my fight and struggle against this dishonorable president. I will certainly NOT be there!

Rep. Al Green boycotting Trump's State of the Union Speech

Rep. Al Green (D-TX 9th District) , who has called for the impeachment of president Trump several times has released a statement via Twitter saying that he will not attend Trump's 2020 State of the Union speech:

Because of an impeached, reckless, ruthless, lawless, shameless, corrupt, & unapologetic-ally bigoted president - who is still engaging in a cover up, the state of the House, the state of the Senate, and the State of the Union are divided.

I will NOT attend #SOTU2020.

Carolyn Parker: First African American Woman To Obtain A Graduate Degree In Physics

Carolyn Beatrice Parker is the first African-American woman known to have gained a postgraduate degree in physics.

Parker (1917–1966) was a physicist who worked from 1943 to 1947 on the Dayton Project, the plutonium research and development arm of the Manhattan Project. She then became an assistant professor in physics at Fisk University.

Parker earned two master's degrees, one in mathematics from the University of Michigan in 1941 and one in physics from MIT in 1951. Her completion of a doctorate in physics at MIT was prevented by the leukemia that would kill her at age 48. Leukemia was an occupational risk for workers on the Dayton Project.

Carolyn Beatrice Parker was born in Gainesville, Florida on November 18, 1917. Her father was Julius A. Parker, a physician who according to the family, was a student of John Kenneth Galbraith, and the second African-American to receive a PhD in business from Harvard. Her mother was Della Ella Murrell Parker. Della Parker was a sister of Joan Murrell Owens, a marine biologist who was one of the first African-American women to receive a PhD in geology.

Carolyn Parker was one of six children, all but one of whom received natural science or mathematics degrees. Mary Parker Miller had a Masters of Science in mathematics from New York University in 1975; Juanita Parker Wynter had a Bachelor of Science in mathematics and chemistry, and a Master of Science from New York University; Julie Leslie Parker had a Bachelor of Science in mathematics from Fisk University and a master's degree in medical technology from Meharry Medical College; and Julius Parker Jr had a master's degree in chemistry from the University of Michigan. The sixth sibling, Martha Parker, studied social sciences, gaining a master's degree from Temple University.

Carolyn Parker graduated magna cum laude with an A.B. (Bachelor of Arts) degree from Fisk University in 1938, then an A.M. (Master of Arts) in mathematics from the University of Michigan in 1941.

She undertook further studies from 1946–1947 at Ohio State University, towards the end of time of her time on the Dayton Project. She gained a Master's in physics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 1951.Parker's family report that she had completed the course work for her PhD in physics at MIT around 1952 or 1953, but leukemia prevented her from defending her dissertation.[1] She is the first African-American woman known to have gained a postgraduate degree in physics.

Help other black students arm a Ph.d by donating to our Close the Gap Fundraiser today: Black History Month help Black students finish college fundraiser