Born: 1908 (Petersburg, Virginia)
Died: 1988 (Petersburg, Virginia)
Biography:
Ella Louise Stokes Hunter, also known as Louise Stokes Hunter, was an influential American mathematics educator who made significant contributions to the field of education. Born in Petersburg, Virginia, she began her educational journey at Peabody High School in her hometown. She later attended the Virginia Normal and Industrial Institute, which was the predecessor institution to Virginia State University. It was during this time that her passion for mathematics and teaching began to flourish.
In 1920, Hunter graduated from Howard University, where she also became a member of the esteemed Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority. Her dedication and hard work led her to earn a master’s degree in education from Harvard University in 1925. While African American women like Alberta Virginia Scott had already graduated from Radcliffe College, Hunter may have been the first African American woman to earn a degree from Harvard proper.
Hunter’s love for education and learning was unwavering. Even while working as a faculty member at Virginia State University, she pursued her doctoral studies at the University of Virginia. Her research focused on mathematics education and specifically explored the transition from high school to college mathematics. In 1953, she successfully completed her Ph.D., becoming the first African-American woman to earn a degree at the University of Virginia. This significant accomplishment came just two months after another African-American doctoral student, Walter N. Ridley, became the first African-American to receive a degree from the university.
Throughout her career, Hunter dedicated herself to teaching and mentoring countless students. She began her teaching journey at the Virginia Normal and Industrial Institute, where she was one of the founding members of the Delta Omega graduate chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha. She served as the chapter’s first historian and later became its eighth president. It was also during her time at the Virginia Normal and Industrial Institute that she met her future husband, John McNeile Hunter, who was an esteemed electrical engineering professor.
Hunter’s impact extended beyond her academic achievements. She was known for her mentorship of black students, especially black women studying mathematics. Her encouragement and guidance inspired many students to pursue advanced degrees in the field. Mathematician Linda B. Hayden credits Hunter as one of her faculty mentors who pushed her to pursue graduate studies. Mathematician Gladys West also sees Hunter as a role model and mentor, describing her as the first model of a power couple and a woman who carried the weight of other women on her shoulders.
Throughout her career, Hunter’s dedication and passion were recognized and celebrated. She was promoted to associate professor at Virginia State University in 1948, a testament to her excellence and commitment as an educator. Even after her retirement from Virginia State, she continued to contribute to the field of education by teaching at Saint Paul’s College in Virginia.
Louise Stokes Hunter’s legacy lives on, not only through her groundbreaking achievements but also through the generations of students she inspired and mentored. Her impact on the advancement of education, particularly for black women in mathematics, is immeasurable. She passed away in her hometown of Petersburg in 1988, leaving behind a remarkable legacy that continues to shape the field of mathematics education.