East Orange, NJ
Marion Thompson Wright became the first African-American woman in the United States to earn her Ph.D. in 1940. Born in East Orange, Wright earned her Ph.D in History from Columbia University. She earned her bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Howard University where she taught after earning her Ph.D. Her dissertation was on “The Education of Negroes in New Jersey,” which was used during Brown v. Board of Education. Speaking from personal experience, Wright attended Barringer High School in Newark where she was one of two Black students at the school at the time.
Congratulations! Dr. Boakye always treated me and everyone with respect and kindness.