Ruth Ella Moore (May 19, 1903 – July 19, 1994[1]) was an American bacteriologist and microbiologist, who, in 1933, became the first African-American woman to be awarded a Ph.D. in a natural science.
She published her research on tuberculosis, immunology, dental caries, the response of gut microorganisms to antibiotics, and the blood types of African-Americans.
Although there are gaps in the official personnel records of the university, Moore is believed to have continued to teach and conduct her research at Howard until 1973, after which she held the position of associate professor emeritus of microbiology until 1990.
The two parts were entitled, "Studies on Dissociation of Mycobacterium Tuberculosis" and "A New Method of Concentration on the Tubercule Bacilli as Applied to Sputum And Urine Examination".
[8][11] In 1957, Moore stepped down from her departmental leadership position, but continued to teach and conduct research on bacteriology at the university.
[14] As a Black woman, she faced restrictions to attending American Society for Microbiology meetings, particularly where Jim Crow laws were in effect, mandating segregation in hotels and conference venues.
[15][16] Some of her research included significant contributions in the study of blood types,[15][16] dental caries (cavities),[17] and the reaction of specific pathogens to different classes of antibiotics.
[15][16] In some of her earlier work, Moore did research on the distribution and differences in blood types between Black and white Americans.
She based her study on the works of L. and H. Hirschfeld, Landsteiner, Wiener, Levine, Belkins and Sonn, Neal and Hanig, and Matson.
[19] Throughout Moore's research she compared her results to that of the scientists who preceded her, such as Landsteiner and Weiner, who discovered the Rh factor in human blood.
[19] Comparison of her results to those of the other experiments suggested that Rh blood types might be a good starting ground for studying and building a foundation of knowledge about different racial backgrounds.
[3] She also hypothesized that having a diet high in carbohydrates is a predisposing factor for cavity formation by selecting for specific species including L.
[8] Additionally, the study investigated whether antibiotics were bacteriostatic or bactericidal by removing agar from the zones of inhibition and culturing in nutrient broth.
[6] Moore is believed to be the first African-American woman to earn a Ph.D. in the natural sciences, which she received from Ohio State University.
[5] In 2005, U.S. Representative Eddie Bernice Johnson introduced a congressional bill recognizing the work of Ruth Ella Moore along with that of other scientists in the United States.
She loved elegant, classic styles of clothing and designed and constructed her own garments for most occasions, from day to evening wear, and from tailored to draped components.
Several garments designed by Moore were featured in works such as The Sewer's Art: Quality, Fashion, and Economy in 2009.
[4] The HCTC's Sports & Fashion has one of Moore's swimsuits on display, but due to the lack of labels and dates from the 1930s, no one is sure whether she made it or purchased the stylish garment.