Elbert Frank Cox facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Elbert Cox
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Elbert Frank Cox
December 5, 1895 Evansville, Indiana, U.S.
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| Died | November 28, 1969 (aged 73) Washington, D.C., U.S.
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| Education | Indiana University, Bloomington Cornell University (MA, PhD) |
| Spouse(s) | Beulah Kaufman |
| Children | 4 |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Mathematics |
| Institutions | West Virginia State University Howard University |
| Doctoral advisor | Lloyd Williams |
Elbert Frank Cox (born December 5, 1895 – died November 28, 1969) was an amazing American mathematician. He made history by becoming the very first Black person to earn a PhD in mathematics. He achieved this important goal at Cornell University in 1925.
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Who Was Elbert Cox?
Elbert Frank Cox was born in Evansville, Indiana. His father, Johnson D. Cox, was a teacher and active in their church. Elbert grew up with his parents, his grandmother, and two brothers. Their neighborhood had both Black and white families living together.
Even though he faced challenges, Elbert was very smart and determined. He was even offered a scholarship to study violin in Prague, but he chose to follow his passion for mathematics instead.
Elbert's Education Journey
Starting at Indiana University
Elbert Cox went to Indiana University Bloomington. Besides math, he studied many other subjects. These included German, English, Latin, history, chemistry, and physics. His brother Avalon also went to Indiana University.
Elbert was one of only a few Black students in his class. He earned his bachelor's degree in 1917. He got top grades in all his exams at Indiana University.
Serving His Country and Teaching
After graduating in 1917, Elbert joined the U.S. Army. He served in France during World War I from 1918 to 1919.
After leaving the Army, he started his career as a high school math tutor. He then became a math instructor at a high school in Henderson, Kentucky. In 1919, he became a professor at Shaw University in North Carolina. There, he taught physics, chemistry, and biology. He even became the head of the science department. He stayed at Shaw University until 1922.
Achieving His PhD at Cornell University
In 1921, Elbert applied for a special scholarship at Cornell University. Cornell was one of only a few American universities that offered a PhD in mathematics. One person who wrote a letter for him mentioned that Elbert might face difficulties because he was a "colored man." However, Cornell University was known for being a welcoming place for African Americans. This was because its founder, Ezra Cornell, had been against slavery.
Elbert was accepted in 1922 and started his studies. He did very well at Cornell. A young instructor named William Lloyd Garrison Williams became his supervisor. Elbert received a special scholarship called the Erastus Brooks fellowship in Mathematics.
He finished his important research paper, called a dissertation, in the summer of 1925. On September 26, 1925, he earned his PhD. This made him the first African American to receive a PhD in Mathematics. He was likely the first Black man in the world to do so!
Teaching and Leading
West Virginia State College
In September 1925, Dr. Cox began teaching math and physics at West Virginia State College. This was an all-Black college that didn't have a lot of money. Having a professor with a PhD was very rare there, and Elbert's knowledge made him stand out.
In 1927, he married Beulah Kaufman. She was a teacher and the daughter of a former slave. They had met in 1921 and had their first child, James, in 1928. In 1929, Dr. Cox joined the faculty at Howard University and moved to Washington, D.C..
Howard University
Dr. Cox started teaching at Howard University in September 1930. Even with his PhD, he was outranked by some other professors at first. He published his graduation paper in 1934 in a journal in Japan.
He was a very active and popular teacher. The university's president, James M. Nabrit, said that Dr. Cox guided more students earning their Master's degrees than any other professor at Howard. His students also did very well. One of his students was his own son, Elbert Lucien Cox. Another was William Schieffelin Claytor, who became the third African American to get a PhD in mathematics.
Dr. Cox was promoted to full professor in 1947. In 1957, he became the head of the Department of Mathematics. He held this important position until 1961. He retired in 1965 at the age of 70. His picture hangs in Howard University's common room, honoring his contributions.
During World War II, from 1942 to 1944, Dr. Cox also taught engineering science and war management.
His Mathematical Work
During his career, Dr. Cox published two important articles. He built on the work of another mathematician, Niels Nörlund. Dr. Cox used special mathematical tools called generalized Euler polynomials to solve certain equations. He also studied different types of polynomials that solved specific math problems. In his second paper, published in 1947, he used math to compare three different ways of grading students.
Even though Dr. Cox didn't live to see Howard University start its own PhD program in mathematics, many people believe he played a huge role in making it happen. He helped build the department to a very high level. His personal reputation as a mathematician, and being the first Black person with a math PhD, brought a lot of respect to the department. He also attracted many talented students to study math at Howard.
Honors and Legacy
To honor his achievements, the National Association of Mathematicians created the Cox–Talbot Address. This special talk is given every year at their national meetings. The Elbert F. Cox Scholarship Fund is also named after him. This fund helps Black students who want to study mathematics.
In November 2006, a special plaque was put up in Evansville, Indiana, to remember Dr. Cox's amazing pioneering achievement.
Elbert's Family
Elbert and Beulah Cox had four children: James (born 1928), Eugene Kaufman (born 1930), Elbert Lucien (born 1933), and Kenneth (born 1935, but sadly died at 17 months old). Eugene Kaufman Cox became an architect. Elbert Lucien Cox followed in his father's footsteps and became an Associate Vice President at Howard University.
