How Elbert Frank Cox Became the First African American to Earn a PhD in Mathematics

Elbert Frank Cox was born on December 5, 1895, in Evansville, Indiana. He excelled at Indiana University, earning his BA in 1917 with top marks despite racial barriers. After serving in World War I, he began teaching mathematics at Shaw University. In 1922, Cox won a fellowship to Cornell University. Under the mentorship of William Lloyd Garrison Williams, he completed his dissertation in 1925. His PhD made him the first African American—and likely the first Black person worldwide—to earn a doctorate in mathematics. Cox taught at West Virginia State College before joining the faculty at Howard University in 1930. He led the math department from 1957 to 1961 and guided more master’s candidates than any other professor there. Notable students included William Schieffelin Claytor and Cox’s own son. His legacy lives on through the National Association of Mathematicians’ annual Cox–Talbot Address and a scholarship fund in his name. A commemorative plaque in Evansville also honors his pioneering achievement.

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