Because of the circumstances, Bouchet was not the first African American elected to Phi Beta Kappa, as many historical accounts state; that honor belongs to George Washington Henderson (University of Vermont).

[11] His father had been brought to New Haven from Charleston, South Carolina in 1824 as the enslaved valet of a young plantation owner and Yale student.

[6] Word of Bouchet's talents reached Philadelphia and Alfred Cope of the Society of Friends and Institute for Colored Youth.

Cope wanted Bouchet to teach at the Center after finishing his studies and paid for his time at Yale in order to facilitate this partnership.

[15] After earning his PhD, Bouchet was unable to find a university teaching or research facility position due to racial discrimination.

[12] He moved to Philadelphia in 1876 and took a position at the Institute for Colored Youth (now Cheyney University of Pennsylvania), where he taught physics and chemistry for the next 26 years.

He died there in his childhood home at 94 Bradley Street in 1918 after a six-week illness caused by high blood pressure.