Hubert Mack Thaxton facts for kids

Hubert Mack Thaxton was a brilliant American scientist. He was a nuclear physicist, mathematician, and engineer. He was also the fourth African American to earn a PhD in physics in the United States. Dr. Thaxton studied how tiny particles called protons scatter. This was a new and exciting area of science back then.

Early Life and Learning

Hubert Mack Thaxton was born in Lynchburg, Virginia. His birthday was March 20, 1909. His parents were Henry and Sarah Thaxton.

High School Years

He went to Dunbar High School in Lynchburg. At that time, it was a separate school for Black students. He finished high school in 1927. Later, in 1962, the school became open to all students.

College and Advanced Degrees

Thaxton attended Howard University in Washington, D.C.. He earned three bachelor's degrees in 1931. These were in physics, mathematics, and chemistry. In 1933, he also earned two master's degrees from Howard. These were in physics and mathematics.

He then went to the University of Wisconsin–Madison. In 1936, he earned a master's degree in mathematics there. He continued his studies to get a PhD in physics. He focused on nuclear physics. His teacher was a famous physicist named Gregory Breit.

Earning His PhD

His main research was about how protons split when they hit each other. His important paper was called "Scattering of protons by protons." In 1938, he earned his PhD. This made him the fourth African American to get a PhD in physics in the U.S. Other early African American PhDs in physics included John McNeile Hunter (1937), Herman Branson (1939), and Halson V. Eagleson (1939).

His Amazing Career

Dr. Thaxton had a long and varied career. He taught at several universities. He also worked in important science and engineering jobs.

Teaching at Universities

He started his career at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. There, he was a professor and led the physics department. In 1944, he moved to Delaware State University. He became a professor and led the mathematics department.

In 1946, he taught at Walter Hervey Junior College in New York. He was a professor and led the physics department there for about two years. He also began teaching evening math classes at the City College of New York. In 1971, he became a full-time math professor there. He faced challenges in getting a permanent position. He fought for his rights in court. He won two cases, but he passed away before his tenure was fully settled.

Work in Industry

From 1947 to 1971, Dr. Thaxton also worked in private companies. He held many important roles.

• He was a project engineer at Sperry Corporation. He worked on radar and antenna systems.
• He was chief engineer at Sylvania Electric Products. He researched color television.
• He was a project engineer at Curtiss-Wright Corporation. He designed special jet aircraft.
• He directed the digital computer facility at Kollsman Instrument Company.

Some of his work was secret for the government. He worked on atomic processes and long-range radar.

Community and Professional Groups

Dr. Thaxton was also active in many groups. He was part of the American Physical Society. He also joined the American Mathematical Society. He was a member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

He was a leader in his community too. He was president of the Harlem Engineering Corporation. He also led the Harlem Political Club. He was a director at the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Computer-Space Science Center in Harlem.

Personal Life

Hubert Thaxton married Lydia Richardson in 1941. She was from Greensboro, North Carolina. They had two daughters together.

His Legacy

Dr. Thaxton left a lasting impact. The University of Wisconsin–Madison has a special award in his name. It is called the Hubert Mack Thaxton Fellowship. This award helps undergraduate physics students.