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Breaking Barriers: The First Ladies of Education
Three black women shattered the academic ceiling at all-white Ivy League institutions a century ago. The trio of Sadie Mossell (Alexander), Georgiana Simpson, and Eva Dykes faced massive obstacles to do the become the first black women to earn PhDs.
This true story by DeWitt S. Williams shares the struggles and dreams of these exceptional ladies. Dr. Williams was a former student of Dr. Dykes and wrote this book out of admiration for her Christian character. When he studied the other two ladies, he was amazed at their contributions to African American history. In his groundbreaking book, Williams shares the compelling story of extraordinary people who overcame obstacles and adversity to become the first black women to earn PhDs.
Sadie Tanner Mossell entered the University of Pennsylvania at 17-years-old in 1915.
At the time of enrollment, black students were prohibited from eating in cafeterias on campus, and restaurants nearby also refused them. Mossell appealed to Penn's president for blacks to be allowed to get warm meals in the cafeteria. He said he could not help her.
Georgianna Simpson was likely born right as the Civil War ended. Her parents had been enslaved in Virginia and could not read or write. Yet Simpson decided to pursue a career in teaching. Captivated by German culture, in 1896 she went to Germany to study the German language. In 1900 Simpson attended summer school at Harvard University. She would be in school for the next 21 years.
Eva Beatrice Dykes was accepted into Radcliffe College in 1915. Known as the "woman's Harvard," Radcliffe was adjacent to the illustrious Harvard, which was a university for, by, and of, privileged white men. Although women were prohibited from attending Harvard, its male professors delivered the same lectures to women at Radcliffe.
Dykes had earned a Bachelor's in English, summa cum laude, at Howard University, but because it was a black school, Radcliffe did not acknowledge the credits. Dykes had to do a second undergraduate degree at Radcliffe.
Like Simpson, Dykes could not stay on Radcliffe's campus. She found a room in the nearby Cambridge. Undaunted at these racial slights, Dykes plunged into her studies. In two years, she earned her second Bachelor's, magna cum laude.
Dykes frequented the Library of Congress for her research, but was not able to dine at the cafeteria there because she was black. She brought a bag lunch and ate at one of the capital's nearby parks.
Dykes completed and successfully defended a 644-page dissertation on the English poet Alexander Pope in March 1921. By doing so, she became the first of the trio to complete the requirements for a PhD but marched down the aisle last with her PhD in English Philology.
This true story by DeWitt S. Williams shares the struggles and dreams of these exceptional ladies. Dr. Williams was a former student of Dr. Dykes and wrote this book out of admiration for her Christian character. When he studied the other two ladies, he was amazed at their contributions to African American history. In his groundbreaking book, Williams shares the compelling story of extraordinary people who overcame obstacles and adversity to become the first black women to earn PhDs.
Sadie Tanner Mossell entered the University of Pennsylvania at 17-years-old in 1915.
At the time of enrollment, black students were prohibited from eating in cafeterias on campus, and restaurants nearby also refused them. Mossell appealed to Penn's president for blacks to be allowed to get warm meals in the cafeteria. He said he could not help her.
Georgianna Simpson was likely born right as the Civil War ended. Her parents had been enslaved in Virginia and could not read or write. Yet Simpson decided to pursue a career in teaching. Captivated by German culture, in 1896 she went to Germany to study the German language. In 1900 Simpson attended summer school at Harvard University. She would be in school for the next 21 years.
Eva Beatrice Dykes was accepted into Radcliffe College in 1915. Known as the "woman's Harvard," Radcliffe was adjacent to the illustrious Harvard, which was a university for, by, and of, privileged white men. Although women were prohibited from attending Harvard, its male professors delivered the same lectures to women at Radcliffe.
Dykes had earned a Bachelor's in English, summa cum laude, at Howard University, but because it was a black school, Radcliffe did not acknowledge the credits. Dykes had to do a second undergraduate degree at Radcliffe.
Like Simpson, Dykes could not stay on Radcliffe's campus. She found a room in the nearby Cambridge. Undaunted at these racial slights, Dykes plunged into her studies. In two years, she earned her second Bachelor's, magna cum laude.
Dykes frequented the Library of Congress for her research, but was not able to dine at the cafeteria there because she was black. She brought a bag lunch and ate at one of the capital's nearby parks.
Dykes completed and successfully defended a 644-page dissertation on the English poet Alexander Pope in March 1921. By doing so, she became the first of the trio to complete the requirements for a PhD but marched down the aisle last with her PhD in English Philology.
240 pages, Paperback
Published September 21, 2021
About the author
DeWitt S. Williams
8 books1 followerDeWitt S. Williams has been a pastor, missionary to Africa, and health director in the Adventist Church. He traveled to over 100 countries and all 50 states lecturing about the importance of good health. Dr. Williams has written or co-authored nine other books, among them She Fulfilled the Impossible Dream and Energized. He is retired and lives in Maryland.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
August 2, 2022
This is an invaluable work with original research and a groundbreaking narrative on these fascinating pioneers. I really enjoyed learning about how these black women did the impossible a century ago. Highly recommended!
November 20, 2021
The lives of these women were absolutely extraordinary. I struggled with the writing style, as it told their stories from different voices and it was challenging for me to follow.
March 17, 2024
Well worth the read... . Thank you so much! His love for his teachers jumps from the page. There is no better tribute for an educator. Amazing detail and scholarship of connecting the dots... cross time, space, and acknowledging the importance of place and geography. It is an easy and quick read. There is something to be said for reading it in its entirety. Yet you could read the summary of each woman's life and come away with a better understanding of the challenges women in the academe experience. The power of the "me too" movement is that you may learn that it wasn't just you. You are not a stand alone single issue commodity. For some it is helpful to know that you may share an experience and you had created a narrative in which you were the only one.
One of my favorite things about this book is that it made me want to read more.. dig more and I learned so many NEW things. The notes and bibliography are SPECTACULAR. For instance every thing you wanted to know about the history of the Seventh Day Adventists denominational evolution, theology, and church history... I didn't see that one coming...
1921 was quite the year. Talk about synchronicity. The history of higher education in America when every single college and university is in the news and the populace at large struggles mightily with literacy and who and when and what they should learn. Read on...
One of my favorite things about this book is that it made me want to read more.. dig more and I learned so many NEW things. The notes and bibliography are SPECTACULAR. For instance every thing you wanted to know about the history of the Seventh Day Adventists denominational evolution, theology, and church history... I didn't see that one coming...
1921 was quite the year. Talk about synchronicity. The history of higher education in America when every single college and university is in the news and the populace at large struggles mightily with literacy and who and when and what they should learn. Read on...
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews