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Year: 1928
Who: Gloria Ford Gilmer​
Where: Baltimore, Maryland​
What: Born in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1928, Gloria Ford Gilmer earned her B.S. in mathematics from Morgan State University, where she co-authored two groundbreaking research papers with Professor Luna Mishoe—marking a first for African American women. She pursued advanced studies at the University of Pennsylvania and later earned a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from Marquette University in 1978.
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Gilmer’s contributions to mathematics spanned academic, governmental, and cultural spheres. Early in her career, she worked as a mathematician in exterior ballistics for the U.S. Army at Aberdeen Proving Grounds, applying her mathematical expertise to critical calculations. She later taught at public schools and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), influencing countless students with her innovative teaching methods.
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A pioneering advocate for ethnomathematics, Gilmer explored the ways mathematics is expressed in cultural contexts. Her research bridged traditional mathematics with everyday life, famously analyzing patterns in African American hairstyles, such as cornrows, and linking them to tessellations and patterns in nature. This groundbreaking work inspired students to see math in unexpected places and fostered a greater appreciation for the discipline’s cultural dimensions.
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Gilmer’s leadership extended to professional organizations. She became the first Black woman on the Board of Governors of the Mathematical Association of America and co-founded the International Study Group on Ethnomathematics, serving as its first president for 11 years. She also led Math-Tech, Inc., translating research into programs that promoted mathematics education for women and minorities.
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Through her teaching, research, and advocacy, Dr. Gilmer redefined the role of mathematics in education and culture, leaving a legacy of inspiration and empowerment for future generations.​
Sources:
Websites:
Gloria F. Gilmer. (n.d.). https://mathematicallygiftedandblack.com/honorees/gloria-f-gilmer/
Gloria Ford Gilmer. Gloria Gilmer. (2024, February 22). https://mathwomen.agnesscott.org/women/gilmer.htm
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