Ellis O. Knox
Encyclopedia
Dr. Ellis O'Neal Knox was the first African-American to be awarded a Ph.D.
on the West Coast of the United States
. Knox received his Bachelor of Arts
degree in 1922 from the University of California, Berkeley
and his doctorate in the history and philosophy of education from the University of Southern California
in the 1931 http://www.aaregistry.com/african_american_history/2851/Ellis_Knox_a_pillar_for_Black_education.
Ellis O. Knox was born in Northern California
on July 6, 1900. The son of a Latin
teacher, Albert P. Knox, and homemaker, Addie Knox, Ellis always had a love of education. As a young boy in the public schools of Lake County, California
at the turn of the century, Ellis, the only black student in his classroom, excelled http://www.olemiss.edu/depts/cetl/BlackHistory23.html.
In 1923, shortly after graduation from UC Berkeley, Knox accepted a position on the staff of Phoenix Union High School. Soon he met his wife Lois Wynne. The couple moved to Los Angeles in 1926, where Knox began his studies at USC.
With his doctorate in hand, Knox moved to the District of Columbia to accept a position on the staff of Howard University
in 1931. (In the 1940s and 50s, Dr. Knox served as an adjunct professor at the American University
, an adjunct lecturer at Yale University
, and as a member of the Evaluation Committee of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools, while retaining full professor status at Howard.)
By 1955, Knox was appointed to the President's White House Conference on Education. A decade later, he began work as a consultant to both the Peace Corps and the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. In the tradition of his philopshical and academic focus of promoting civil rights in education, Knox worked alongside Thurgood Marshall
in the campaign that led to the desegregation of the schools in the District of Columbia and also served as the Chairman of Education for the NAACP from 1945 to 1962 http://www.aaregistry.com/african_american_history/2851/Ellis_Knox_a_pillar_for_Black_education.
In 1967, Knox ended his tenure at Howard University http://books.google.com/books?id=Fkje44kbjaAC&pg=RA2-PA491&lpg=RA2-PA491&dq=ellis+o+knox&source=web&ots=ys5mO6TKP5&sig=96Z8omlDYyVEmgzrj5rE3-fCAIo&hl=en and retired in Los Angeles, where he served as Professor Emeritus at the University of Southern California and the University of California Los Angeles until his death in 1975.
During his lifetime, Knox published several studies on the philosophy of education
. His Ph.D. disseration dealt with the trend of philosophical doctrines in their relation to African-American youth in the United States
.
Dr. Knox's contemporaries, colleagues, and close friends included Nobel Prize
winner Ralph Bunche
, United States Supreme Court
Justice, Thurgood Marshall
, as well as famed California
architect Paul Williams
and civil rights
leader H. Claude Hudsonhttp://www.olemiss.edu/depts/cetl/BlackHistory23.html.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
on the West Coast of the United States
West Coast of the United States
West Coast or Pacific Coast are terms for the westernmost coastal states of the United States. The term most often refers to the states of California, Oregon, and Washington. Although not part of the contiguous United States, Alaska and Hawaii do border the Pacific Ocean but can't be included in...
. Knox received his Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree in 1922 from the University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
and his doctorate in the history and philosophy of education from the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
in the 1931 http://www.aaregistry.com/african_american_history/2851/Ellis_Knox_a_pillar_for_Black_education.
Ellis O. Knox was born in Northern California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
on July 6, 1900. The son of a Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
teacher, Albert P. Knox, and homemaker, Addie Knox, Ellis always had a love of education. As a young boy in the public schools of Lake County, California
Lake County, California
Lake County is a county located in the north central portion of the U.S. state of California, north of the San Francisco Bay Area. It takes its name from Clear Lake, the dominant geographic feature in the county and the largest natural lake wholly within California...
at the turn of the century, Ellis, the only black student in his classroom, excelled http://www.olemiss.edu/depts/cetl/BlackHistory23.html.
In 1923, shortly after graduation from UC Berkeley, Knox accepted a position on the staff of Phoenix Union High School. Soon he met his wife Lois Wynne. The couple moved to Los Angeles in 1926, where Knox began his studies at USC.
With his doctorate in hand, Knox moved to the District of Columbia to accept a position on the staff of Howard University
Howard University
Howard University is a federally chartered, non-profit, private, coeducational, nonsectarian, historically black university located in Washington, D.C., United States...
in 1931. (In the 1940s and 50s, Dr. Knox served as an adjunct professor at the American University
American University
American University is a private, Methodist, liberal arts, and research university in Washington, D.C. The university was chartered by an Act of Congress on December 5, 1892 as "The American University", which was approved by President Benjamin Harrison on February 24, 1893...
, an adjunct lecturer at Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
, and as a member of the Evaluation Committee of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools, while retaining full professor status at Howard.)
By 1955, Knox was appointed to the President's White House Conference on Education. A decade later, he began work as a consultant to both the Peace Corps and the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. In the tradition of his philopshical and academic focus of promoting civil rights in education, Knox worked alongside Thurgood Marshall
Thurgood Marshall
Thurgood Marshall was an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court, serving from October 1967 until October 1991...
in the campaign that led to the desegregation of the schools in the District of Columbia and also served as the Chairman of Education for the NAACP from 1945 to 1962 http://www.aaregistry.com/african_american_history/2851/Ellis_Knox_a_pillar_for_Black_education.
In 1967, Knox ended his tenure at Howard University http://books.google.com/books?id=Fkje44kbjaAC&pg=RA2-PA491&lpg=RA2-PA491&dq=ellis+o+knox&source=web&ots=ys5mO6TKP5&sig=96Z8omlDYyVEmgzrj5rE3-fCAIo&hl=en and retired in Los Angeles, where he served as Professor Emeritus at the University of Southern California and the University of California Los Angeles until his death in 1975.
During his lifetime, Knox published several studies on the philosophy of education
Philosophy of education
Philosophy of education can refer to either the academic field of applied philosophy or to one of any educational philosophies that promote a specific type or vision of education, and/or which examine the definition, goals and meaning of education....
. His Ph.D. disseration dealt with the trend of philosophical doctrines in their relation to African-American youth in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Dr. Knox's contemporaries, colleagues, and close friends included Nobel Prize
Nobel Prize
The Nobel Prizes are annual international awards bestowed by Scandinavian committees in recognition of cultural and scientific advances. The will of the Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, established the prizes in 1895...
winner Ralph Bunche
Ralph Bunche
Ralph Johnson Bunche or 1904December 9, 1971) was an American political scientist and diplomat who received the 1950 Nobel Peace Prize for his late 1940s mediation in Palestine. He was the first person of color to be so honored in the history of the Prize...
, United States Supreme Court
Supreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
Justice, Thurgood Marshall
Thurgood Marshall
Thurgood Marshall was an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court, serving from October 1967 until October 1991...
, as well as famed California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
architect Paul Williams
Paul Williams (architect)
Paul Revere Williams, FAIA was a Los Angeles-based, American architect. He practiced largely in Southern California and designed the homes of numerous stars including Frank Sinatra, Lucille Ball/Desi Arnaz, Lon Chaney, and Charles Correll...
and civil rights
Civil rights
Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from unwarranted infringement by governments and private organizations, and ensure one's ability to participate in the civil and political life of the state without discrimination or repression.Civil rights include...
leader H. Claude Hudsonhttp://www.olemiss.edu/depts/cetl/BlackHistory23.html.