Black History Fact

Celebrating microbiologist Ruth Ella Moore the first Black person to receive a PhD in microbiology/bacteriology and the first Black woman to earn a graduate degree in natural science....

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From Yale.edu

Ruth Ella Moore, Ph.D. (1903-1994) was a bacteriologist known for her work on blood types, tuberculosis, tooth decay, and gut microorganisms. She completed her dissertation work on tuberculosis at Ohio State University in 1933, becoming the first Black woman to earn a Ph.D. in the natural sciences.

After earning her Ph.D. in bacteriology Moore became an assistant professor at Howard University, where she was later appointed the head of the bacteriology department. This appointment made Moore the first woman to head any department at Howard. The research she conducted on African-American blood types and later on the reaction of different gut microorganisms to antibiotics has had significant impacts on public health. During her career Moore was a member of several scientific associations and societies, and was the first Black member of the American Society of Microbiology.

Moore was also an accomplished seamstress and garment designer. Her garments have been exhibited at Ohio State University where she earned both her undergraduate and graduate degrees. Moore was also awarded two honorary degrees from Oberlin College and Gettysburg University around the time of her retirement from Howard University in 1973.

From OSU

Career highlights: Moore joined the Howard University College of Medicine as an assistant professor of microbiology in 1940, and by 1952, she was chair of the department of bacteriology. Her research helped curtail tuberculosis, detail the prevalence of different blood types among African Americans, and explain the reactions of gut microorganisms to different classes of antibiotics. Moore’s work was published in several scientific journals, including The Journal of the American Medical Association. At Howard, where she retired in 1973, she was a teacher and mentor to generations of students. Moore also was known for her love of fashion and for her handmade, stylish clothing. In 2009, several of her garments were featured in an Ohio State Historic Costume & Textiles Collection exhibition.