Developing a Career in Mathematics
Many African Americans have attended graduate schools where they were the only black student, however, other schools had a long tradition of seeking out African American students. Below we consider several of those "popular schools"; however, in the mean time read what one graduate, Janice Wallker says.
Janice Walker says she was surprised by the large number of African Americans in Michigan's mathematics graduate program even though Michigan has a long history of recruiting and graduating African Americans. She was pleased to find that at the University of Michigan and in Ann Arbor, generally, "racial tension was not common." The atmosphere in the Mathematics Department, support of many faculty members and the camaraderie among the students made her time at Michigan rewarding, stimulating, and comfortable. She recalls that "African American graduate students in the doctoral program formed a close-knit group that still exists. We were a family. We celebrated successes and shared failures." While she was there, the African American students formed a mathematics society, the Ishango Mathematics Society. The society provided support and information, encouraged cooperation and social interaction among African American graduate students, and gave them the opportunity to present talks.
Popular Schools - which schools have the highest number of African American Ph.D.s
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
Howard University
University of California at Berkeley
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor (14): Joseph Pierce, 1938 (#5); Clarence Stephens, 1943 (#9); Wade Ellis, 1944 (#11); Warren Hill Brothers, 1944 (#11); Marjorie Lee Browne, 1949 (#13-first woman)); Beauregard Stubblefield, 1950 (#15); Rogers Newman, 1961 (#22); Joseph Battle, 1962 (#24); Irving Vance,?; Curtis Clark, 1974; Lawrence Williams, 1976; Johnny Brown, 1979; William Hawkins, 1980; Janice Walker, 1982. (note: at least six more people earned an MS at Michigan, and went on to earn a Ph.D. elsewhere.) The numbers in parenthesis represent the nth African American Ph.D. in Mathematics.
Howard University
University of Maryland at College Park
University of California at Berkeley (5): Darry Andrews, 1985; Richard Baker, 1987; James Curry, 1978; Janice Oldham, 1985; Lloyd Williams; 1956
University of Illinois-Urbana
Since opening 5/25/97, Mr.
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