W. Montague Cobb collection
- Author/Creator:
- Cobb, W. Montague 1904-1990. (William Montague)
- Publication/Creation:
- 1897-1991
- Resource Type:
- Archival Material or Manuscripts
More Details
Additional/Related Title Information
- Full Title:
- W. Montague Cobb collection
Subjects/Genre
- Genre:
- Photographs
- Subjects:
- Drew, Charles,1904-1950
Jones, Louia Vaughn,1895-1965
Daniel Hale Williams Medical Reading Club
Howard University
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
African American anthropologists
African American educators
African American physicians
African American scientists
Medicine--Study and teaching
Description/Summary
- Finding Aid:
- Finding aid available electronically
- Summary:
- The collection consists of documents by and about W. Montague Cobb from 1897-1991, including correspondence, writings, photographs, and printed material. Correspondence in the collection includes letters to Cobb from Charles Drew and Louia Vaughn Jones, as well as correspondence between Cobb and others relating to his leadership in the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and his work with various hospitals. There are also letters to Cobb from his students at Howard University regarding their career plans and needs for instruction and a file of meeting invitations, letters, and membership lists for the Daniel Hale Williams Medical Reading Club. The collection contains numerous publications by Cobb, including medical research and biographies of other African American scientists. Manuscripts and typescripts by Cobb contain research notes as well as drafts of speeches. Photographs include images of Cobb and Cobb's family, as well as unidentified others.
- Language:
- English
- Language Note:
- Materials entirely in English.
- Physical Type/Description:
- 1 linear foot (2 boxes)
- Restrictions on Access:
- Unrestricted access
- Organization and Arrangement:
- Arranged in alphabetical order.
- Biographical/Historical Note:
- William Montague Cobb (1904-1990) was born in Washington, D.C., to Alexizine Montague Cobb and William Elmer Cobb, a printer. He attended Patterson Elementary School and Dunbar High School. In 1921, he enrolled in Amherst College (Amherst, Massachusetts) where he ran track and boxed. After completing his degree, Cobb worked as a researcher in embryology at the Woods Hole Marine Biology Laboratory. He then attended the Howard University College of Medicine (Washington, D.C.) and completed his internship at the Howard University Hospital, where he received his board certification. Cobb also attended Case Western University (Cleveland, Ohio), studied with Thomas Wingate Todd, and became the first African American to earn a Ph.D. in physical anthropology in 1932. He returned to Howard University in 1932 as an assistant professor in the medical school. He spent the rest of his career at Howard, eventually becoming Chair of the Department of Anatomy. Cobb's research focused primarily on debunking racist theories that African American physiology differed from the physiology of Caucasians. He also conducted research showing the correlation between experiences of racism and ill health.
- Ownership and Custodial History:
- Forms part of the Robert Langmuir African American photograph collection. The Rose Library acquired this collection from Robert Langmuir in his capacity as a rare book and manuscript dealer but did not integrate it with the Langmuir collection because of its volume, cohesion, and assumed common provenance.
- Related Collections:
- Robert Langmuir African American photograph collection.
Cobb Collection, The W. Montague Cobb Research Laboratory (CRL) at Howard University
Additional Identifiers
- Catalog ID (MMSID):
- 9936667214702486
- OCLC Number:
- 1006895684
- Barcode:
- 010003051185
010003051184
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