Alfred Oscar Coffin (May 14, 1861 – 1933) was a professor of mathematics and Romance language. He is best known for being the first African American to obtain a PhD in biology. Coffin earned his bachelor's degree and master's degree at

Fisk University Fisk University is a private historically black liberal arts college in Nashville, Tennessee. It was founded in 1866 and its campus is a historic district listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In 1930, Fisk was the first Africa ...

. In 1889, he earned his PhD in biology at Illinois Wesleyan University. His thesis was titled 'The Origin of the Mound Builders'. In 1887, Coffin taught at Alcorn Agricultural and Mechanical College for two years in Mississippi. From 1889 to 1895, he worked as a professor of mathematics and Romance language at Wiley University at Marshall, Texas. He later worked as the booking agent for John William Boone.

Early life

Coffin was born May 14, 1861, in Pontotoc, Mississippi.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Coffin, Alfred 1861 births 1933 deaths 20th-century African-American academics 20th-century American academics People from Pontotoc, Mississippi 19th-century African-American scientists 19th-century American mathematicians American biologists Illinois Wesleyan University alumni Fisk University alumni Academics from Mississippi American zoologists 19th-century African-American academics 19th-century American academics African-American mathematicians 20th-century African-American scientists Biologists from Mississippi