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James G. Black Papers

Overview

Scope and Contents

Administrative Information

Detailed Description

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James G. Black Papers, 1921-1983 | Eastern Kentucky University - Special Collections and Archives

By Sharon Brown McConnell

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Collection Overview

Title: James G. Black Papers, 1921-1983Add to your cart.View associated digital content.

Primary Creator: Black, James Gilbert (1921-1983)

Extent: 0.88 Cubic Feet

Date Acquired: 11/16/1983

Subjects: Eastern Kentucky University--Faculty and staff., Inventors., Science--Study and teaching, Higher--Kentucky.

Languages: English

Scope and Contents of the Materials

The papers of Dr. James Gilbert Black contain both professional and personal papers. Dr. Black was a friendly, tolerant, brilliant man whose major concern was the quality of education which the youth were receiving. This collection documents his interest in education as well as his scientific interests. It also includes files on Dr. Black's inventions.

Collection Historical Note

James Gilbert Black was born in Rose Hill in Mercer County, Kentucky on August 4, 1895. His parents were Robert and Maggie Black. He attended elementary school in Mercer County and graduated with the highest honors from Harrodsburg High School. In 1916, following a suggestion of his high school principal, he decided to attend college and work toward a degree in physics.

Dr. Black and his brother, Roy, had spent hours during childhood experimenting with pulleys, tin cans, and magnets. A book which often was a guide for them was one by R. K. Duncan. This was the perfect prerequisite to the very happy and satisfying life which Dr. Black lived as an inventor, student, physicist, and teacher.

In May 1919, Dr. Black was married to Ollie Mae Foster of Mercer County. Mrs. Black herself was scholarly and inquisitive and several years after her marriage, she received a college degree from Morehead State University. The couple had four sons: J. G. Jr., William S., George M., and Charles. Two sons were engineers, one a lawyer, and the other a physicist at the Naval Ordnance.

Dr. Black received a B.S degree from the University of Kentucky in 1921 and a masters degree from the same institution in 1922. He did additional work at the University of Wisconsin and at Purdue University before being granted a Ph.D. from the University of Michigan in 1929. His undergraduate studies were interrupted by a stint in the navy during World War I.

Dr. Black's teaching experiences were varied. He taught courses in physics, engineering, and most branches of mathematics during his career. His teaching assignments were at the University of Kentucky, 1920-22, the University of Wisconsin, 1922-23, Purdue University, 1923-25, Michigan State College, 1925-28, University of Kentucky, 1928-29, Morehead State Teachers College, 1929-41, and the University of Michigan, 1941-1945. He was a physics professor at Eastern Kentucky University from 1947-69, serving as chairman of the department for most of those years.

Dr. Black was an employee of both the Philips Laboratory, Inc. (1945-1947), and the Naval Ordnance Laboratory in Silver Springs, Maryland during the 1950s and 1960s. During these years he worked in X-ray technology, television development, and in testing, design and improvement of weapons. He was the author of several papers which are on file with these companies, and with three other people, received a patent on an "Apparatus for Determining the Composition of a Substance." Detailed descriptions of some of his many inventions are included in these papers. He received patents for most of his inventions. Following his retirement, he developed a new type of ball point pen.

He was a member of numerous societies and groups, wrote many articles for scientific publications and often presented papers at professional meetings. He wrote several short stories on science in an attempt to popularize physics. Dr. Black had many professional and social interests He was a member of the First Baptist Church of Richmond and was a connoisseur of good literature. He enjoyed sharing anecdotes with friends during leisure moments and was often asked to explain certain phenomena to those with less scientific minds. During the years following his retirement, he remained active mentally and physically. He spent hours enjoying his family and friends. He died on January 5, 1983 and was buried in Springhill Cemetery at Harrodsburg, Kentucky.

Subject/Index Terms

Eastern Kentucky University--Faculty and staff.
Inventors.
Science--Study and teaching, Higher--Kentucky.

Administrative Information

Repository: Eastern Kentucky University - Special Collections and Archives

Acquisition Source: Black, James G.


Box and Folder Listing


Browse by Box:

[Box 1],
[Box 2],
[All]

Box 1Add to your cart.
Barcode: 31234014056582
Folder 1: Articles, 1957-1958Add to your cart.
Articles, speeches and reports regarding education and scholarships in the sciences.
Folder 2: Bills in Congress, 1957-1958Add to your cart.
Relating to the education system in the United States.
Folder 3: News Clippings, 1957-1958Add to your cart.
News clippings and magazine articles about education.
Folder 4: News Clippings, 1957-1958Add to your cart.
News clippings and magazine articles about education.
Folder 5: Correspondence, 1958Add to your cart.
Correspondence with various universities and scientific organizations regarding education.
Folder 6: Essays in Education, undatedAdd to your cart.
Essays by various educators about science education.
Folder 7: Admiral H. G. Rickover, 1958Add to your cart.
Correspondence and speeches of Rear Admiral H.G. Rickover regarding science education.
Folder 8: Schools, ca. 1958Add to your cart.
Brochures and pamphlets from the National Citizens Council for Better Schools.
Folder 9: The Teacher's Prayer, 1952-1953Add to your cart.
A copy of The Teacher's Prayer as well as correspondence relating to the prayer and an article Dr. Black wrote.
Folder 10: Testimony Before the House, 1958Add to your cart.
Dr. Black's testimony before the House as well as news clippings regarding his testimony.
Folder 11: Testimony Before the House, 1958Add to your cart.
Correspondence relating to Dr. Black's testimony.
Folder 12: Testimony Before the House, 1958Add to your cart.
Correspondence from members of the House and other universities relating to his testimony. Some of the correspondents include John F. Kennedy, John Sherman Cooper, Barry Goldwater and Thruston B. Morton. (photocopies only)
Box 2Add to your cart.
Barcode: 31234014056590
Folder 1: Barry Bingham, 1958Add to your cart.
Correspondence to and from Mr. Bingham regarding education.
Folder 2: Biographical, undatedAdd to your cart.
Biographies, autobiographies, correspondence and personal data sheets about Dr. Black.
Folder 3: News Clippings, undatedAdd to your cart.
Clippings about income, child rearing, veterans affairs, coal and various other topics.
Folder 4: Naval Ordnance Laboratory and Philips Laboratory, 1936-1968Add to your cart.
Photographs, job applications, personnel action forms and correspondence relating to his positions with the Naval Ordnance and Philips. A booklet describes patent rights and responsibilities for the Naval Ordnance.
Item 1: Nuclear Symposium, 1936Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
A group at the Nuclear Symposium at the University of Michigan (Pictured Are: Dr. E. O. Lawrence, Dr. P. P. Ewald, Dr. J. D. Kraus, Baldwin R. Curtis, Dr. E. L. Harrington, Dr. Catherine Chamberlain, Dr. Richard W. Quarles, Dr. David M. Dennison, Dr. L. W. Nordheim, Zaka Slawsky,  Dr. I. Rabi, Milton Slawsky, Dr. Gertrude Nordheim, Dr. Lucy H. Kurrelmeyer, Dr. Hugh C. Wolfe, Miss His-yin Sheng, Dr. E. U. Condon, Dr. J. M. Cork, Dr. H. A. Bethe, Dr. S. A. Goudsmit, Dr. G. Breit, Paul Rood, Dr. M. E. Rose, James Perdue, J. R. Lawson, William Rarita, C. E. Rood, Dr. Thomas J. Carroll, Fern Trovillo, Siiri Markkanen, Dr. Jenny Rosenthal, Dr. C. E. Ireland, Dr. Rose C. L. Mooney, Donald S. Bayley, H. H. Siemers, Dr. Donald G. Hurst, J. E. Hill, Dr. Melba Phillips, A. J. Ruhlig, Dr. John Bardeen, Dr. Otto Laporte, Dr. M. H. Hebb, Dr. E. W. Uehling, Dr. C. D. Hause, O. G. Koppius, Dr. R. D. Present, Dr. Bernard Kurrelmeyer, Dr. W. H. Furry, V. E. Bottom, Dr. Eugene Feenburg, Dr. Claude Cleeton, Joseph M. Keller, Dr. David Inglis, Dr. Charles T. Zahn, Dr. E. L. Hill, Martha Cox, Harold Lifschutz, Dr. James H. Bartlett Jr., Miss I-djen Ho, Dr. Edward S. Akeley, Dr. W. W. Sleator, R. A. Boyd, Dr. Gordon M. Shrum, J. S. Koehler, Dr. J. G. Black, Dr. Daniel L. Rich, A. H. Spees, Dr. R. L. Thornton, Dr. A. W. Smith, Jonathan Parsons, Mr. D. B. McNeill)
Item 2: Unidentified GroupAdd to your cart.View associated digital content.
Group at unidentified location. )Pictured are: Dennison, Barker, Rishman, Pauli, Walenbeck, Broullian, Guth, Cork, Dalke, Joyce, Marton, Parsona, Wolfe, Rarita, A. W. Smith, Weber, Scott, Miss Wang, Mrs. Marton, Miss Kao, Pasternek, Morris, Colby, Sleator Sr., Parkinson, Duffendook, Kent, Bessey, Deutsch, Black, Rich, Picard, Sleator Jr., Foley, Fowler, Lindsey, Genevese, Anderson, Hadley, Oetjen, Casliman, Wineland, Holland, Engstrom, Bouce, Crouch)
Item 3: HiroshimaAdd to your cart.View associated digital content.
Copies of photos of Hiroshima before and after the atomic bomb hit.
Creators:
A.A.F. Photos
Folder 5: Essays and Other Writings, undatedAdd to your cart.
A series of articles about physics and the importance of science in education. Also included are a couple poems written by others.
Folder 6: Professional, 1927-1968Add to your cart.
Publications, programs, news clippings, correspondence, and other items collected in the course of his professional life. A curriculum vita lists all his professional presentations and publications.
Folder 7: Grant Proposal, 1962Add to your cart.
An equipment grant to be used for radioisotope and nuclear physics education, submitted to the United States Atomic Energy Commission.
Folder 8: Science Advisory Committee, 1958Add to your cart.
Press releases from the president of the United States regarding science education.
Folder 9: Space Clippings, ca. 1958Add to your cart.
Articles about Sputnik, antiaircraft missiles, satelites, atomic weapons and other similar topics.
Folder 10: Space Drawings and Sketches, 1957Add to your cart.
A sketch of a missile and a mimeograph of the solar system.
Folder 11: Tributes, 1921-1931Add to your cart.
Includes certificates, graduation program, correspondence, poetry and memorials and tributes at the time of his death.
Folder 12: Diagrams, undatedAdd to your cart.
Diagrams of various pieces of equipment.
Folder 13: Agreement with Philips, 1946Add to your cart.
Agreement signed by Dr. Black regarding inventions.
Folder 14: Composition of Substance, 1952-1964Add to your cart.
Information about Dr. Black's invention, Apparatus for Determining Composition of Substance.
Folder 15: Correspondence, 1933-1953Add to your cart.
Correspondence regarding patents and publishing.
Folder 16: Cyclorama, undatedAdd to your cart.
A description of the new cyclorama for the Morehead State College stage.
Folder 17: Electricity, 1931Add to your cart.
Abstract of a paper on electricity sent to the Mathematical Association of America.
Folder 18: Electrolysis and Synthesis of Water, undatedAdd to your cart.
Description of an electrolysis experiment.
Folder 19: Falling Body, undatedAdd to your cart.
A science experiment about the Motion of a Freely Falling Body to determine acceleration.
Folder 20: Human Horsepower, undatedAdd to your cart.
A paper titled "The Direct Measurement of Human Horsepower" presented at an unknown professional conference.
Folder 21: Hydrogen, undatedAdd to your cart.
An abstract of a science experiment about the effect of hydrogen on the intensities of the spectra of zinc, cadmium and mercury.
Folder 22: Incubation for Eggs, undatedAdd to your cart.
A paper describing the merits of a new egg incubator.
Folder 23: Phonodeik Oscillations, undatedAdd to your cart.
A description of an improved lecture apparatus for projecting phonodeik oscillations.
Folder 24: PhotographsAdd to your cart.
Photographs of Dr. Black and some of his inventions.
Item 4: James G. Black with one of his inventionsAdd to your cart.View associated digital content.
Physical Description: 8x10
Item 5: One of James G. Black's inventionsAdd to your cart.View associated digital content.
Physical Description: 8x10
Item 6: One of James G. Black's inventions (The reverse of 1983-041-05)Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
Physical Description: 8x10
Item 7: One of James G. Black's inventions, (wheels and cogs)Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
Physical Description: 8x10.5
Item 8: One of James G. Black's inventions, (wheels and cogs)Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
Physical Description: 8x10.5
Item 9: One of James G. Black's inventions, (wheels and cogs put together)Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
Physical Description: 8x10.5
Item 10: One of James G. Black's inventions, (wheels and cogs)Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
Physical Description: 8x10.5
Item 11: One of James G. Black's inventions, (wheels and cogs)Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
Physical Description: 8x10.5
Item 12: X-Ray of H.M. Patterson's hand at the University of Kentucky by J.G. Black, 1921 Apr 10Add to your cart.View associated digital content.
Physical Description: 5x7
Folder 25: Phonograph, 1944-1946Add to your cart.
Plans and description of a cabinet that would store up to 80 albums and play any of them with the touch of a button.
Folder 26: Spectroscopy, undatedAdd to your cart.
An article titled "Spectrum Lines" and a description of a simplified spectrum plate.
Folder 27: Tunnel Diode, 1962Add to your cart.
Notes and diagrams on a Tunnel Diode Coincidence Circuit for NOL Van de Graaff.
Folder 28: Professional Abstracts, undatedAdd to your cart.
A series of abstracts on various topics and inventions, including an apparatus for developing x-rays in a lighted classroom, a lamp for projecting electroscope and radiometer in the classroom, a simplified McLeod Guage and the yo-yo.

Browse by Box:

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[Box 2],
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