A Survey of Black American Doctorates.

In the course of planning a program to increase the number of black PhDs, the Ford Foundation conducted a survey of blacks who held a doctorate. Questionnaires were sent to 2280 persons. Of 1096 responses, 140 persons, or 12.7% were 60 or older, and 102 or 9.4% were under 35 years of age. A greater percentage of men and women earned their degree between the ages of 35-39 than during any other five year span. The majority received their undergraduate training at black colleges. More than 70% required ten years or more to obtain the doctorate. More than half the degrees earned were in education and the social sciences. 85.4% were employed by colleges and universities, overwhelmingly in black institutions. A recent survey of the PhDs awarded from 1964 through 1968 at 63 graduate schools indicated that only 294 or .8% of the 37,456 degrees were awarded to black Americans. The demand for black PhDs is rapidly increasing and several programs have been organized to help blacks in obtaining the doctorate. The Ford Foundation has instituted a fellowship program for blacks interested in a college teaching career. It is also assisting faculty members at predominantly black colleges who are participating in advanced study programs. It is hoped that by 1973, almost 2% rather than the present 1% of all American PhDs will be black. (AF)