Angeline Stickney
Who was Angeline Stickney?
American suffragist, abolitionist, and mathematician (1830-1892)
Biographical data adapted from Wikipedia’s article on Angeline Stickney (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Biography
Chloe Angeline Stickney Hall was born on November 1, 1830, and became a well-known American mathematician, suffragist, and abolitionist. She studied at New-York Central College in McGrawville, New York, a school that accepted students of any race or gender. This progressive atmosphere played a big part in her intellectual growth and her dedication to social justice, which she pursued alongside her academic work.
Before Fame
Angeline Stickney grew up during a time of major social change in the United States, with movements for abolition and women's rights becoming more active. Attending New-York Central College in McGrawville connected her with other reformers and allowed her to receive substantial mathematical training, which was rare for women back then. This strong academic background and exposure to forward-thinking ideas laid the groundwork for her scientific work and activism.
Key Achievements
- Performed mathematical calculations critical to Asaph Hall's 1877 discovery of the moons of Mars, Phobos and Deimos.
- Educated at New-York Central College, McGrawville, one of the most progressive institutions of the antebellum era.
- Contributed to the advancement of women in mathematics and science through her professional collaboration with her husband.
- Active suffragist and abolitionist who worked toward women's rights and racial equality during a transformative period in American history.
- Honored posthumously with the naming of Stickney crater on Phobos, the largest crater on that Martian moon.
Did You Know?
- 01.The Martian moon Phobos has a large crater named Stickney in her honor, recognizing her mathematical contributions to its discovery.
- 02.She attended New-York Central College in McGrawville, one of the few institutions in antebellum America to admit both women and Black students.
- 03.She performed the mathematical calculations that helped her husband Asaph Hall locate the moons of Mars in 1877.
- 04.She died on July 3, 1892, in North Andover, Massachusetts.
- 05.Her full birth name was Chloe Angeline Stickney, though she is most commonly referenced by her middle name Angeline.