Donald Anderson Edwards facts for kids

Donald Anderson Edwards (born January 5, 1905 – died December 19, 1999) was an American physicist. He was a very important person in science and education. Dr. Edwards started the physics department at North Carolina A&T State University. He spent his whole career teaching at North Carolina A&T and other historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) across the United States. His research focused on X-ray crystallography. This is a way to study the tiny structures of materials using X-rays. He was famous for figuring out the complete crystal structure of potassium nitrate in 1931.

Early Life and Education

Donald Edwards was born on January 5, 1905, in Calhoun, Alabama. His father, Edward Early Edwards, was a minister. His mother, Mary Maud Edwards, was a schoolteacher.

He went to Talladega College for his first degree. Talladega College is a historically Black college in Talladega, Alabama. In 1926, he earned a bachelor's degree in mathematics. He also studied physics.

In 1931, he earned a master's degree in physical sciences from the University of Chicago. At that time, the University of Chicago was a place where many Black students could study. This was important because many other schools were still segregated. This meant Black students were not allowed to attend.

Career Highlights

After getting his master's degree, Dr. Edwards started teaching. He taught at several historically Black colleges and universities.

He taught at places like Prairie View A&M University and Virginia State University. He also taught at Lincoln University–Missouri. At Lincoln University, he was a physics professor and led the physics department. In 1931, he successfully figured out the crystal structure of potassium nitrate. This was a big achievement in his field.

While teaching at Lincoln University, Dr. Edwards decided to get his doctorate degree. Because of segregation, he couldn't get into schools in the South. So, in 1948, he enrolled at the University of Pittsburgh. He earned his PhD in physics in 1952. His main research was about the structure of certain metal alloys using X-ray diffraction.

Besides teaching, Dr. Edwards also did research at important labs. These included the Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the U.S. Naval Ordnance Laboratory. His research mainly focused on X-ray crystallography.

Leading the Physics Department

In 1953, Dr. Edwards became a professor at North Carolina A&T State University. He was the first person to lead the physics department there. He was the department chair until 1971. He is known for creating the physics courses and programs at North Carolina A&T.

Many of his students became very successful. Some of them include:

• Joseph McNeil: A retired major general and a member of the Greensboro Four.
• David Richmond: A civil rights activist and another member of the Greensboro Four.
• Ronald McNair: A NASA astronaut and physicist. He was the second African American to go to space. Sadly, he died in the 1986 Space Shuttle Challenger tragedy. McNair often said that Dr. Edwards encouraged him to get his PhD in physics. He also thanked Dr. Edwards for supporting him in becoming an astronaut.

Honoring Black Physicists

In 1972, a special event called the Day of Scientific Lectures and Seminars (DOSLAS) was created. Its first meeting was held in December 1972 at Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee. This event honored Dr. Edwards, Dr. John McNeile Hunter, and Dr. Halson V. Eagleson. In 1973, it was noted that these three scientists had taught 90% of the Black physicists in the country at that time.

These meetings helped create the National Society of Black Physicists (NSBP) in 1977. In 2020, the American Physical Society recognized Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maryland, as a historic site. This is where the first official meetings of the NSBP took place.

Personal Life

Donald Edwards was married to Ruth Edwards for 65 years.

Awards and Legacy

Dr. Edwards was one of the first three people to receive an award from the American Physical Society. This award recognized his important contributions to physics. It also honored his work in making physics education available to Black students.

There is also a scholarship named after him: the Donald A. Edwards Endowed Scholarship. This scholarship helps physics students at North Carolina A&T. In 2015, North Carolina A&T hosted a conference in his honor. Students presented papers on X-ray crystallography, celebrating Dr. Edwards' research.

Select Publications

• "[Magnesium-Cadmium Alloys. IV. The Cadmium-Rich Alloys; Some Lattice Parameters and Phase Relationships between 25 and 300°. Structure of the MgCd3 Superlattice. Schottky Defects and the Anomalous Entropy1]," Journal of the American Chemical Society, 1952 (with William E. Wallace and R. S. Craig)