The Production of Black Ph.D.'s in Economics at Harvard University, 1905–1955

• Published in: The Review of Black political economy Vol. 44; no. 1-2; pp. 167 - 201
• Main Author: Myers, Samuel L.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Los Angeles, CA SAGE Publications 2017; Springer US; SAGE PUBLICATIONS, INC
• Subjects: African Americans; Applied economics; Careers; Civil war; Colleges & universities; Economic Policy; Economics; Economics and Finance; Economists; Empowerment; Korean War; Political Science; Production; Schools; Secondary schools; Sociology; World War I; United States > US; William H. Dean, Jr; Samuel Lloyd Myers, Sr; Samuel Z. Westerfield, Jr; Black economists; John D. Black; Booker T. McGraw; University of Minnesota; History of economic thought; Harvard University Ph.D. program in economics; Hastings Dudley Huggins; Robert Weaver; John D. Black, University of Minnesota
• ISSN: 0034-6446; 1936-4814
• DOI: 10.1007/s12114-017-9244-2

Harvard University's Economics Department produced some of the leading African American economists between World War I and the Korean War. This essay explores the factors that contributed to this accomplishment and documents the career trajectories of the six blacks who obtained the Doctorate in Economics from Harvard University during the period 1905–1955. The analysis reveals the pivotal roles of the Rosenwald Fund, Classical High Schools, Black Fraternal Organizations and former University of Minnesota Applied Economics Professor, John D. Black. A common outcome of the careers of these six pioneers was a commitment to black economic empowerment.