Black History Is: Charles Henry Turner
- Published21 Feb 2024
- Author Cyrenna Cooper
- Source BrainFacts/SfN
Charles Henry Turner was a pioneer in the field of insect behavior.
Brain Bytes showcase essential facts about neuroscience.
American behavioral scientist Charles Henry Turner was a pioneer in the field of entomology — the study of insect behavior. In 1892, Turner became the first African American to receive a graduate degree from the University of Cincinnati. By 1907, he earned a doctorate in zoology from the University of Chicago, becoming the first African American to earn a Ph.D. from the institution. Despite his accomplishments, the University of Chicago turned him down for a faculty position. The rejection led Turner to become a science teacher at Sumner High School in St. Louis, the first high school for Black students west of the Mississippi.
Consequently, Sumner High School is where Turner performed most of his experiments, as he faced challenges gaining support from university or institutional facilities. Nevertheless, Turner carried on his work. His observations provided evidence of insects’ abilities to learn and recognize patterns, with one of his most significant discoveries demonstrating that insects can hear and change their behavior based on previous experiences. In addition to his many contributions to science, Turner was an academic activist for civil rights, arguing education was vital in ending racism.
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About the Author
Cyrenna Cooper is the Web Communications Specialist for BrainFacts.org. She graduated from George Mason University in 2017 with a degree in Communications.
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References
Abramson, C. I. (2019). Charles Henry Turner | American scientist. In Encyclopædia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Charles-Henry-Turner
Katsnelson, A. (n.d.). Charles Henry Turner’s Insights into Animal Behavior Were a Century Ahead of Their Time. www.brainfacts.org. https://www.brainfacts.org/in-the-lab/animals-in-research/2023/charles-henry-turners-insights-into-animal-behavior-were-a-century-ahead-of-their-time-101823
Profile of Charles Henry Turner. (2018). Profile of Charles Henry Turner. University of Cincinnati. https://www.artsci.uc.edu/news/profile-Turner-bhm.html
Turner, C. H. (1921). W. E. B. Du Bois Papers (MS 312). Special Collections and University Archives, University of Massachusetts Amherst Libraries. https://credo.library.umass.edu/view/full/mums312-i0234
