Walter Lincoln Hawkins facts for kids

Walter Lincoln Hawkins (born March 21, 1911 – died August 20, 1992) was an amazing American chemist and engineer. Many people see him as a pioneer in polymer chemistry, which is the study of plastics and similar materials. For 34 years, he worked at Bell Laboratories. There, he helped create a super strong plastic that could protect telephone cables. This invention made it possible for thousands of Americans, especially those in the countryside, to get phone service. Besides his important research, Hawkins also worked hard to support students from minority groups. He was also the chairman of Montclair State University in 1973. Among his many honors, Hawkins was the first African-American to join the National Academy of Engineering in 1975. Not long before he passed away in 1992, he received the National Medal of Technology from President George H. W. Bush.

Early Life and Education

W. Lincoln Hawkins was born on March 21, 1911, in Washington, D.C.. His father was a lawyer for the U.S. Census Bureau. His mother was a science teacher in the Washington, D.C. school system. Hawkins also had a brother and a sister. He was the grandson of a person who had been a slave. He went to high school in a school system where Black students were kept separate from white students during the Jim Crow Era.

When he was a kid, Hawkins loved figuring out how things worked. He often took toys apart and put them back together to make new ones. He even built toy boats with springs to sail in the pool in front of the Lincoln Memorial. Once, when he was eleven, he and a friend tried to build a machine that would run forever. They didn't know it was impossible! He also built a working radio so he could listen to baseball games.

At Dunbar High School in Washington, Hawkins noticed something interesting. His physics teacher, Dr. James Cowen, drove a new, fancy car every year. Dr. Cowen had invented a special part for cars that helped them start easily. The company that bought his invention gave him a new car each year as part of the payment. Hawkins was thrilled to learn that someone could earn a living by inventing things and tinkering with machines!

After high school, he went to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York. He was one of only two Black students there. In 1932, he earned his bachelor's degree in chemical engineering. It was hard to find a job during the Great Depression. So, he went to graduate school at Howard University. In 1934, he earned a master's degree in chemistry. His friend and mentor, Professor Howard Blatt, told him about a special scholarship. This scholarship was at McGill University in Montreal, Canada. Hawkins went to McGill and earned his doctorate in chemistry in 1938. He focused on the chemistry of cellulose, which is found in plants. He stayed at McGill to teach for a few more years. In 1940, Hawkins moved to Columbia University to continue his research. He received a special fellowship from the National Research Council.

Hawkins married Lilyan Bobo in 1938. They were married until he passed away in 1992. They had two sons.

Working at Bell Laboratories

In 1942, Walter Lincoln Hawkins made history. He became the first Black person to join the technical team at Bell Laboratories. In 1963, he became a supervisor in applied research. By 1972, he was the head of his department. His first projects at Bell Labs were about finding cheap ways to make rubber. This was important during World War II. At that time, Japan controlled many areas in Asia. This cut off America's supply of natural rubber. Hawkins helped create a new rubber substitute from petroleum.

After the war, Hawkins started working on better ways to insulate telephone cables. Before his work, long underground and underwater cables were wrapped in fiber. Then, they were covered with heavy, expensive lead. Scientists thought new, light plastics like polyethylene would be good. But common plastics could break down and become brittle outdoors. So, they needed special additives to make the plastics strong. In 1956, Hawkins and Vincent Lanza invented a plastic coating. This coating could handle big changes in temperature. It could also last for up to 70 years and was cheaper than lead. Once this new technology was proven, telephone lines were put in rural areas. This brought affordable phone service to many people. It also reduced the use of lead, which is a harmful material.

Besides creating the new plastic cable cover, Hawkins also worked on testing methods. These tests proved the materials would last a long time. He also worked to reduce plastic waste. He explained the science behind his work to people who weren't scientists. These people were interested in expanding phone technology. In the 1970s, Hawkins started focusing on how to reduce plastic waste. His work on recycling plastics continued after he was promoted in 1974. Plastics are very durable, which is great for products. But it becomes a big problem when they need to be thrown away. Hawkins became an expert not only in making plastics last longer but also in recycling these tough products.

During his career, Hawkins helped create 18 U.S. patents. He also wrote 55 scientific articles and 3 books.

Later Years and Helping Others

Hawkins retired from Bell Labs in 1976 after 34 years. After that, he worked as the research director for the Plastics Institute of America from 1976 to 1983.

Throughout his life, Hawkins was involved in helping minority groups. While at Bell Labs, he helped start the Bell Laboratories Summer Research Program for Minorities and Women in 1974. This program helped over 1,200 people by the time he died. Hawkins also helped create and run the Bell Laboratories Cooperative Research Fellowship Program. This program helps recruit and support minority engineers who want to earn PhDs. After retiring, Hawkins continued to advise Bell Labs on diversity programs. He also started teaching and encouraging college students to study science and engineering. In 1981, he became the first chairman of Project SEED. This program helps students from disadvantaged backgrounds explore science careers. It is run by the American Chemical Society. He also led a committee for the National Academy of Sciences that focused on minorities in engineering.

Walter Lincoln Hawkins passed away on August 20, 1992, in San Marcos, California. He was 81 years old and died from heart failure.

Awards and His Impact

Hawkins was often honored as a pioneer in polymer chemistry. He was the first Black American hired for the technical staff at Bell Labs. He was also the first Black American to be elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 1975. Hawkins won many other awards too. These include the International Medal of the Society of Plastics and the Percy L. Julian Award. He was also inducted into the New Jersey Inventors Hall of Fame in 1992. In 1992, at a ceremony at the White House, President George H. W. Bush gave him the National Medal of Technology. After he passed away, Hawkins was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2010.

For his important research, he received special honorary doctorates. These came from Montclair State College, Stevens Institute of Technology, Kean State College, and Howard University.