Eva Beatrice Dykes (August 13, 1893 – October 29, 1986) was a prominent educator and the third black American woman to be awarded a PhD.

While attending Howard University, where several family members had studied, Eva was initiated into the Alpha chapter of Delta Sigma Theta.

[2] After a short stint of teaching at Walden University in Nashville, Tennessee, Dykes attended Radcliffe College graduating magna cum laude with a second B.A.

In 1920 Dykes began teaching at Dunbar High School, and in 1921 she received a PhD from Radcliffe (now a part of Harvard University).

[3][4] Divisions After her graduation from Radcliffe in 1921, Dykes continued to teach at Dunbar High School until 1929 when she returned to Howard University as a member of the English Faculty.