Black History Fact of the Week: Shirley Jackson
Physicist
On Aug. 5, 1946, in Washington, D.C., physicist Shirley Jackson was born to Beatrice and George Jackson. Adamant about education, the Jacksons instilled a strong sense of appreciation for learning and inspired their daughter to pursue science.
Throughout her younger years, Jackson was involved in classroom science projects and accelerated science and math programs, even while attending Roosevelt High School. Upon graduation, she attended Massachusetts Institute of Technology, being one of fewer than 20 African American students. She was the only one studying theoretical physics. She graduated with her bachelor’s degree in 1968.
She then returned to MIT to pursue her doctorate in an attempt to encourage more Black students to attend the institution.
While earning her degree, the scientist focused on elementary particle theory and published her thesis, “The Study of a Multiperipheral Model with Continued Cross-Channel Unitarity.”
In 1976, Jackson joined the Theoretical Physics Research Department at AT&T Bell Laboratories, where she participated in research projects that contributed to understanding the properties of various materials in order that their capacities can be fully discovered.
According to “Physicists of the African Diaspora,” in 1978 Jackson became part of the Scattering and Low Energy Physics Research Department. Then in 1988, she moved to the Solid State and Quantum Physics Research Department.
At Bell Labs, Jackson explored theories of charge density waves and the reactions of neutrinos, one type of subatomic particle. In her research, Jackson has made contributions to the knowledge of such areas as charged density waves in layered compounds, polaronic aspects of electrons in the surface of liquid helium films, and optical and electronic properties of semiconductor strained-layer superlattices. On these topics and others she has prepared or collaborated on over 100 scientific articles.
In 1999, the researcher became the first female and first African American to become president of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, among her many other accomplishments. She continues to serve as president of the organization and earns more than $1 million a year. She is married to Morris A. Washington and is the mother of one son.
When Mona Clayton became a registered nurse, she did so to make a better life for her and her daughter.
The single mother was determined to show her daughter what could be accomplished through hard work and dedication.
It has been more than 10 years since Clayton passed her California state nursing exam, and not only has she had a successful nursing career, she has obtained her bachelor of science degree and started her own company, Nurses Roc 2 Publishing.
Hundreds of people, including politicians, community leaders and just regular folk turned out to pay their respects to Lillian Mobley at her homegoing celebration Friday at Ward AME Church. Affectionately known as “Mother Mobley,” she was a tireless advocate of improving the lives of people living in South Los Angeles.
Teresa Marshall, a 58-year-old African American woman who is 5 feet six inches tall and weighs about 250 pounds, was reported missing from her residence near the 1500 block of East 105th Street in Los Angeles.
Marshall, who is described as having a “poor mental condition,” was last seen May 12, and investigators and her family believe she may have boarded a Greyhound Bus in downtown Los Angels bound for San Diego.
Wonya Lucas has been named president and CEO of TV One, effective Monday, August 8. The cable industry programming veteran succeeds Johnathan Rodgers, who has announced his retirement as of July 31.
Most recently, Lucas was executive vice president and chief operating officer for Discovery Channel and Science Channel, where she was responsible for strategy and operations for the networks as well as oversight of the networks’ research and marketing departments. She joined Discovery Communications in 2008 as the chief marketing officer.
On May 10, 1943, ballerina and choreographer Judith Jamison was born in Philadelphia, Pa., the younger of two children. Tall and lanky, she was enrolled in dance classes at 6 years old, where she began to exhibit grace and a dancer’s presence on stage. She also studied piano and violin, as well as classical ballet.
