CINCINNATI

Have you heard of Charles Henry Turner?  Me neither - but we should have. 

Turner was born in Cincinnati in 1867.  He went to Woodward Technical (High) School.  In 1892, he received a graduate degree from the University of Cincinnati.  His majors were biology and zoology. 

In 1907, he received a PhD from the University of Chicago.  Turner published many papers in scientific journals about bees and ants and spiders and the like.   His papers include some published by the prestigious journal Science.  He was a worldwide expert.

He was also black.  He was the very first African American to receive a graduate degree at Cincinnati.  He was the very first African American to receive a PhD from Chicago. 

And yet, unable to get an appointment to the university, he taught high school in St. Louis to sustain himself while continuing his groundbreaking scientific work.  A school for disabled African American children there is named in his honor.
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