1. Jewel Prestage is the first African-American woman to receive a doctorate in political science in the United States.
18 Facts About Jewel Prestage
1. 2.
Jewel Prestage was one of 16 children, although only 10 siblings lived to adulthood.
3.
Jewel Prestage moved at a young age to Alexandria, Louisiana where she was baptized at the True Vine Missionary Baptist Church.
4.
At the age of 16, Jewel Prestage graduated as the valedictorian from Peabody High School.
5.
Jewel Prestage started in the fall of 1948 at Southern University.
6.
Jewel Prestage was inducted into the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority through the Beta Psi chapter in 1950.
7.
Jewel Prestage met her husband, Dr James Jordan Jewel Prestage, while attending Southern University.
8.
Jewel Prestage wanted to continue into graduate school, but African Americans were not allowed admission to the only Louisiana public university that offered a doctoral program in political science, Louisiana State University.
9.
Jewel Prestage strived to remedy this lack of representation throughout her career.
10.
At her alma mater, Jewel Prestage pioneered many initiatives that brought prominent political science figures to Southern University.
11.
Jewel Prestage's mentees were given the name "Jewel's Gems" at Southern University.
12.
Jewel Prestage eventually became a departmental chair and the dean of the School of Public Policy and Urban Affairs.
13.
Jewel Prestage contributed many works to the political science community that bridged the gap in the lack of research about African Americans in American politics.
14.
Jewel Prestage participated in the founding of the National Conference of Black Political Scientists.
15.
Jewel Prestage was recognized on a national level for her work in education and politics.
16.
Not only did Jewel Prestage hold an influential role in higher education, but she invested in the education of young students.
17.
Jewel Prestage wanted to transform the political socialization of grade school students, so she worked with the National Defense Education Act Civics Institute to enhance the role of teachers.
18.
Jewel Prestage registered many Black people to vote in Louisiana with the Second Ward Voters League and worked with newly elected Black officeholders as the director of the Louisiana Center to Assist Black Elected Officials.