Sept 9th

Born this day in 1914, Marjorie Lee Brown, pioneer African American mathematician. Graduate cum laude from Howard University in 1935. M.S. in mathematics from University of Michigan in 1939. Teaching at Wiley College in Marshall, Texas. At this time, Dr. Brown began work on her doctorate in Michigan during the summer and in 1947 she became a teaching fellow at the University of Michigan And in 1949, Brown earned her doctorate in mathematics. Dr. Brown then joined the faculty of North Carolina Central University and in 1951, Brown was made chair of the Mathematics department. Resigning the chair in 1970, but continued teaching until 1979. Dr. Brown's area of expert was combinatorial topology. In 1952-52 Dr. Browne won a Ford Foundation fellowship to study at Cambridge University and she traveled throughout Western Europe. Dr. Browne was the National Science Foundation Faculty Fellow studying computing and numerical analysis at the University of California.
In 1965-66, she won another fellowship studying differential topology at Columbia University. In 1975, Dr. Browne was the first recipient of the W.W. Rankin Memorial Award for Excellence in Mathematics Education North Carolina Council of Teachers of Mathematics. Dr. Browne used her talents to secure grants and fellowships for the faculty and students. Also, Dr. Browne helped students find their way with their studies, preparing them for college. Sadly, Dr. Browne died suddenly,at the age of 65 from a heart attack.