Elbert F. Cox ; Mathamatician Project

Elbert F. Cox was the first black mathematician Ph. D. He was born December 5, 1895. he was born and raised in a college racially mixed neighborhood. His father was a school principal. In high school , Mr. Cox showed unusual ability in high school mathematics and physics and was automatically recommended to Indiana University. He graduated in 1917 and when he graduated he had COLORED printed all across his transcript. After graduating he served in World War I. When he returned he went on to pursue a career in teaching. He started instructing mathematics in a high school in Henderson, Kentucky. In 1922, he enrolled at Cornell University. When Cox's thesis adviser (William Lloyd) realized that he could have a opportunity to be the first African American to earn a Ph. D in mathematics he was fulled with joy and in 1925 that's what Cox's became. This was just 39 years after Cornell awarded someone with it's first Ph. D in mathematics. In that same year he became the head of mathematics and physics at West Virginia college. He stayed there for four years and then moved to Howard University. He retired in 1965 and then served as Chairman of the mathematics Department from 1957-1961. In 1969, he suffered from a brief illness and died in Cafritz Hospital. He was survived by his wife Beulah P. Kaufman and three sons James, Eugene, and Elbert. He is still honored today.

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