Charles Henry Turner (zoologist)

Charles Henry Turner
Turner in 1921
BornFebruary 3, 1867
DiedFebruary 14, 1923 (1923-02-15) (aged 56)
Resting placeLincoln Cemetery, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Education
Spouses
Leontine Troy
(m. 1886; died 1895)
  • Lillian Porter (m. 1907 or 1908)
Children3
Scientific career
FieldsZoology

Charles Henry Turner (February 3, 1867 – February 14, 1923) was an American zoologist, entomologist, educator, and comparative psychologist, known for his studies on the behavior of insects, particularly bees and ants. Born in Cincinnati, Ohio, Turner was the first African American to receive a graduate degree at the University of Cincinnati and most likely the first African American to earn a PhD from the University of Chicago.[1] He spent most of his career as a high school teacher in Sumner High School in St. Louis.[2] Turner was one of the first scientists to systematically examine the question of whether animals display complex cognition, studying arthropods such as spiders and bees. He also examined differences in behavior between individuals within a species, a precursor to the study of animal personality.[3]

  1. ^ Abramson, Charles I. (January 2009). "A Study in Inspiration: Charles Henry Turner (1867–1923) and the Investigation of Insect Behavior". Annual Review of Entomology. 54 (1): 343–359. doi:10.1146/annurev.ento.54.110807.090502. PMID 18817509.
  2. ^ "Charles Henry Turner". www.cpnas.org. Retrieved 7 December 2018.
  3. ^ Katsnelson, Alla (2 August 2023). "Charles Henry Turner's insights into animal behavior were a century ahead of their time". Knowable Magazine | Annual Reviews. doi:10.1146/knowable-080223-1. Retrieved 20 September 2023.