Euphemia Lofton Haynes Biography, Life, Interesting Facts

Childhood and Early Life

The first African-American woman to obtain a doctorate in Mathematics, Euphemia Lofton Haynes was born in Washington D.C. Her father William S. Lofton was a dentist and investor, and her mother was Lavinia Day Lofton.

Education

After graduating from Miner Normal School (1909) in Washington D.C., Euphemia Lofton Haynes obtained a B.A. majoring in mathematics (1914). She received her master's degree in education from the University of Chicago (1930) and also did graduate studies in mathematics. In 1943, she was awarded a doctorate in mathematics from the Catholic University of America, becoming the first African American woman to do so.

Career

Euphemia Lofton Haynes went on to teach in public schools in Washington D.C. for 47 years. She was also the first woman to become chairperson of the D.C. School Board (1966). She was a first-grade teacher at both Garfield and Garisson Schools, a mathematics teacher at Armstrong High School, an English teacher at Miner Normal School and a mathematics lecturer at Dunbar High School. 

She also established the mathematics department at Miners Teachers College where she served as a professor. She was also a part-time lecturer at Howard University. Haynes retired from the public school system in 1959.

Personal Life

Lofton Haynes married fellow educationalist Harold Appo Haynes in 1917. Harold Haynes died in 1978 and Haynes on the 25 July 1980 at the age of 90

Community Involvement

Over the years, Euphemia Lofton Haynes was involved in many organizations including the Catholic Interracial Council of Washington, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the League of Women Voters and the American Association of University Woman.

She also acted as secretary and was a member of the Executive Committee of the DC Health and Welfare Council and a member of the National Conference of Christians and Jews. In her Will, Haynes bequeathed $700,000 to the Catholic University for a trust fund to be set-up to support a professional chair and student loan fund in the School of Education. In 1959, she was awarded the Papal Medal by the Catholic Church.