Today In Black History
Dr. Walter L. Hawkins, Chemical Engineer and Inventor
Issue #482 Today In Black History, Wednesday, January 31, 2024
Today’s Black History WOW!
Dr. Walter Lincoln Hawkins, the grandson of a slave, was born in Washington, D.C. in 1911 and became a pioneer in the field of chemical engineering. He graduated from the acclaimed all-Black Dunbar High School.
After graduating from high school, Hawkins went to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York, where he was one of only 2 Black students at the school. In 1932 he graduated with a B.S. in chemical engineering. He enrolled in graduate school at Howard University where, in 1934, he earned a master's degree in chemistry.
Hawkins enrolled at McGill University in Montreal, Canada with a special scholarship and earned his Doctorate in Chemistry in 1938, with a focus on cellulose chemistry. He stayed at McGill to teach until 1940 when he left McGill to continue his research at Columbia University when he received a fellowship from the National Research Council.
In 1942, he was offered a position at AT&T’s Bell Laboratories in Murray Hill, New Jersey, where he became the first African American scientist on staff. Over the course of his 34-year career at Bell Labs, he developed a reputation for adding years to the life of plastics, enabling universal telephone service, and, even more important to service providers, making it economical.
Dr. Hawkins made numerous inventions and breakthroughs in the field of chemical engineering throughout his career. Some of his notable contributions include:
1. Development of new catalysts.
2. Understanding of reaction kinetics.
3. Design of eco-friendly manufacturing processes.
4. Mentorship and education, especially for minority students.
5. Advancements in industrial efficiency.
Dr. Hawkins retired from Bell Labs in 1976 and transitioned to working as the director of research at the Plastics Institute of America from 1976 to 1983.
Throughout his life, Dr. Hawkins was a strong advocate for sustainable practices and environmental responsibility. He championed the development of cleaner and more efficient processes, ensuring that the chemical engineering industry played a role in protecting our planet. His work on designing eco-friendly chemical manufacturing processes earned him accolades and awards.
On August 20, 1992, Dr. Hawkins died at age 81 in San Marcos, California due to heart failure.
Today In Black History
- In 1865, with a 121-24 vote, Congress passed the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, abolishing slavery in the entire United States. The amendment was ratified and became a law on December 6, 1865.
- In 1920, the Black Greek Letter Organization (BGLO) Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, was incorporated at Howard University.
- In 1962, Lieutenant Commander Samuel Lee Gravely became the first Black person to command a U.S. warship, the USS Falgout.
- In 1963, Black writer James Baldwin published his seminal collection of essays titled “The Fire Next Time.”
- In 1988, Doug Williams became the first Black Super Bowl quarterback, and led his team, the Washington Redskins, to a 42-10 win over the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XXII.
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