A few days ago
Anonymous

JBHE Statistical Shocker of the Year: 2,100 Doctorates, but none to an African American?

In 2004, 2,100 doctorates were awarded by universities in the US in the fields of mathematical statistics, botany, optics physics, human and animal pathology, zoology, astrophysics, geometry, geophysics and seismology, gen. mathematics, nuclear physics, astronomy, marine sciences, nuclear engineering, polymer and plastics engineering, veterinary medicine, topology, hydrology and water resources, animal nutrition, wildlife/range management, number theory, fisheries science and management, atmospheric dynamics, engineering physics, paleontology, plant physiology, general atmospheric science, mathematical operations research, endocrinology, metallurgical engineering, meteorology, ocean engineering, stratigraphy and sedimentation, polymer physics, acoustics, mineralogy and petrology, bacteriology, logic, animal breeding and genetics, computing theory and practice, and mining and mineral engineering. Not one of these 2,100 doctoral degrees went to an African American.

Top 10 Answers
A few days ago
Anonymous

Favorite Answer

hate to say this but they have no guts and glory to be smart they so busy getting in to fights and trouble and have kids they give up on life too early but not all a/a
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5 years ago
?
Actually, there is an Asian-American Pacific Islander month (May), Hispanic Month (September), Women’s History Month (March), Native American History Month (November). I don’t think it is racist to ask about having a white history month – it is a valid question. The main reason that there is not a white history month is because the accomplishments and achievements of white people (particularly white men). People who make contributions should be acknowledged – there is absolutely nothing wrong with this. White men and white people in general have contributed a lot to this society and that is great. But other groups made contributions too and it is easy for the contributions of other groups to get drowned out, forgotten, or even actively denied in some cases. Some of it is racism, but in my opinion a lot of it has to do with numbers — there are lot more white people so it follows that there would be more white people to honor as well. So, these “months” are reminders to help us remember that EVERYONE had a hand in making this nation great. I agree that we should have equality. But in actuality, racism has not gone away (remember James Byrd being dragged from the back of a pickup truck until his head came off – wasn’t that long ago …). This is why people continue to highlight it and fight it. So we have to fight it. If you don’t think that racism exists – think about this. If racism and sexism didn’t exist – why would we still – in 2008 – be asking if America is ready for a “black” president? Or a “woman” president? If there were true equality – we wouldn’t even think about asking these questions. After all, in fields were there is more equality – we don’t ask these questions. We never ask if the NFL is ready for a “black” football player or if the medical field is ready for a “woman” nurse. Yet we do ask about this in other places – which suggest that equality does not exist. The bottom line is that we have freedom of speech, so people are free to express how they feel about it. If we can’t do that then we wouldn’t be living in America.
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A few days ago
Mrs. Smith
What is sad is that they will take these statistics and use them to further lower the standards of passing so that in the future we will have less-and-less truly qualified people practicing in these fields.

This, in a nutshell is the TRUE reason why we are failing as a society – because every dirty politician who wanted to get into office and needed the minority vote, cow-tied to pressures such as lowering school and test standards to make them more uniform with minorities’ needs. The effect? We are creating a society of non-educated people who will not be able to compete in the future.

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A few days ago
Ranto
This “study” suffers from a selection bias. The situation is not nearly so bleak as one would imagine. On the contrary, great progress is being made.

Here is another article from the same journal that states that in the same year, African Americans earned 1,869 Doctoral Degrees — up 9% from the previous year.

The article goes on to state:

The overall progress in the past two decades

has been rock solid. In 1987 only 787 African

Americans earned doctorates. This year’s

total of 1,869 doctorates is nearly 2.4 times

as many as were earned in 1987. In 1990

the black share of all doctoral awards was

3.6 percent. That has now grown to 7.1

percent, a showing of significant prog-ress

in a relatively short period of time of 15 years.

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A few days ago
WstCotter G
Thank you for the statistical shocker!! I am truly floored. Your question was????

Edit: I read back over your lil blurb and am sticking to my guns. You question is???,,,,, That’s right you didn’t ask one. You have in fact made a statement. Someone who does not understand the difference between statements and questions should stop copying and pasting things verbatim in an attempt to look educated and do some basic study in grammar. Not PhD, just second grade.

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A few days ago
suigeneris-impetus
Maybe, but how do we know what you post is correct. I am getting my masters degree right now, and some of my professors are Doctors and African American, so they must have earned it sometime.

Do you have a doctorate?

Just because you want to bash doesn’t mean your smart…in fact it is evidence that you are not.

I notice you didn’t answer my question…do you have a doctorate? Do you know what one is? Do you know how hard it is to get one? I bet $1,000 that you do not. And I’d bet another $1,000 that none of the people you hang out with do either. Ignorant people post BS like this and then try to minimize the answerers. It a game played by people called “I’m OK and your not OK because you don’t agree with me.” Its called…I feel bad about myself so I have to try to feel better by tearing down others…

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A few days ago
CaliGirl
I have to beg to differ. I have met many African Americans with doctorate degrees and I am sure ONE of them earned theirs in 2004. What is your point of spreading this garbage? Are you trying to prove that Blacks are stupid? Well we arent. This kind of stuff that you are saying is the main reason why a Black person with a PhD has to hear “You have a PhD!?” like its an aboslute miracle or something. I think you are truly ignorant and need a life.

Multiculturalism is what made this country what it is. And by the way who cares about this data? It just shows that you are in your own little world and holding hate in your heart. Guess what I am Black and I am in school. I hope this dosent ruffle your feathers.

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A few days ago
jessica.lanelle
Well, I don’t understand what you are getting @ here. People don’t just get doctoral degrees based on affirmative action. They have to go to school. So… hmmmm. Ok then.
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A few days ago
Anonymous
completely false. My sister just got her Ed.D and her roomate at NCSU was an African American who also just received her Doctorate in Mathmatics. Why spred such nonsense?? Does it make you feel better? Maybe you should have died on your jump.
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A few days ago
Mr. Vincent Van Jessup
This is interesting. What do you plan to do with this data?

EDIT – Asked a question you couldn’t answer. Why does that mean I’m out of my league? Please re-read, sans tendency to over-mythologize yourself.

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