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Biography · Education & Scholarship

Flemmie Pansy Kittrell

1904–1980

United States

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Biography

Flemmie Pansy Kittrell (December 25, 1904 – October 3, 1980) was the first African American woman to earn a Ph.D. in home economics. Her Ph.D. focused on nutritional interventions to address high Black mortality rates in the 1930s, and she was also the first African American woman to get a Ph.D. from Cornell University. She transformed the field of home economics in the United States and internationally through research and programming on adult nutrition, Black infant feeding practices, and the importance of preschool enrichment experiences for children.

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

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