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Synopsis
Marjorie Lee Browne, born in 1914 in Tennessee, was a pioneering mathematician and educator who made significant contributions to both her field and to education for African Americans. In 1949, she became the third African American woman to earn a Ph.D. in mathematics. Later, in 1960, she established one of the first electronic digital computer centers at a minority college, North Carolina College (now North Carolina Central University), advancing technological education within the African American community.
Early Life
Marjorie Lee Browne was born on September 9, 1914, in Memphis, Tennessee, to Mary Taylor Lee and Lawrence Johnson Lee. Her mother passed away when Browne was only two years old, leaving her father, a postal clerk with a strong affinity for numbers, to raise her. Browne’s father remarried to Lottie, a schoolteacher who played a crucial role in fostering Browne’s intellectual curiosity and encouraging her academic ambitions.
Despite the racial and social challenges of the time, Browne’s father prioritized education for his children, pushing them to pursue excellence. Browne attended LeMoyne High School, a private school for African American students. She then attended Howard University in Washington, D.C., during the Great Depression, managing to fund her education through various means. She graduated cum laude in 1935, an impressive achievement given the financial and racial barriers she faced.
Education
After completing her undergraduate degree, Browne relocated to New Orleans, where she briefly taught at Gilbert Academy. However, her passion for furthering her education led her to Ann Arbor, Michigan, where she earned a master’s degree in 1939 and, ultimately, a Ph.D. in mathematics in 1949 from the University of Michigan. Her achievement made her only the third African American woman to earn a Ph.D. in mathematics, following pioneers Evelyn Boyd Granville and Euphemia Lofton Haynes.
Browne’s academic journey laid the foundation for her influential teaching career. She joined the faculty at North Carolina College (now North Carolina Central University) shortly after completing her doctorate, where she would go on to have a lasting impact on mathematics education.
Teaching Career
In 1951, Browne was appointed chair of the Mathematics Department at North Carolina College, where she helped introduce some of the earliest uses of computers in mathematical education. In 1960, Browne received a significant $60,000 grant from IBM to establish an electronic digital computer center at the college, making it one of the first of its kind at a minority-serving institution. This groundbreaking initiative laid the groundwork for the integration of technology in mathematical education at historically Black colleges.
Browne’s dedication to education extended beyond her students, as she published four sets of lecture notes for other educators. She also helped create a National Science Foundation Institute for secondary mathematics education, further solidifying her influence on the field.
Browne’s scholarly pursuits took her to renowned institutions around the world. In the early 1950s, she received a Ford Foundation grant that enabled her to study topology at Cambridge University. She later pursued additional studies at the University of California, Los Angeles, and Columbia University, enriching her expertise and contributing to her development as a leading mathematician and educator.
Marjorie Lee Browne’s legacy as a mathematician, educator, and pioneer in integrating technology into education continues to inspire future generations.
Awards and Achievements
In 1975, Marjorie Browne was honored with the inaugural W.W. Rankin Memorial Award for Excellence in Mathematics Education, a prestigious recognition presented by the North Carolina Council of Teachers of Mathematics.
Throughout her distinguished career, Browne was an active member of several professional organizations, including the Women’s Research Society, the American Mathematical Society, and the Mathematical Association of America. Notably, she was also among the first African American women to serve on the advisory council of the National Science Foundation.
Death
Browne retired from North Carolina Central University in 1979, but sadly, she was able to enjoy very little of her retirement. On October 19, 1979, she passed away from a heart attack at her home in Durham, North Carolina.