Dataset reveals history of Black women mathematicians
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Researchers created a dataset of 147 Black women who earned doctoral degrees in mathematics or related fields in the United States.
The project addresses a historical lack of documentation for this group, building a resource through archival research, records, databases, and community contributions. Their work establishes a method for identifying and verifying these mathematicians, and builds on previous efforts to document Black mathematicians.
Analysis of the data shows that a small number of institutions and advisors produced a large portion of these doctoral degrees. Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), colleges founded before 1964 to serve Black students, played a key role in preparing these women for advanced study. This structured dataset will allow for further research into mathematical communities, using both historical and quantitative approaches. The researchers hope their framework can be applied to study other underrepresented groups in STEM fields.
