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Biography · Science & Inventions

J. Ernest Wilkins Jr.

1923–2011

United States

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Biography

Jesse Ernest Wilkins Jr. (November 27, 1923 – May 1, 2011) was an American nuclear scientist, mechanical engineer and mathematician. A child prodigy, he attended the University of Chicago at the age of 13, becoming its youngest ever student. His graduation at a young age resulted in him being hailed as "the Negro Genius" in the national media.

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Biography text · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Source checked 2026-10-13

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