The five African Americans elected members of the American Philosophical Society are Gerald Lyn Early of Washington University in St. Louis, Danny O. Jacobs of the Oregon Health and Science University, G. Gabrielle Starr president of Pomona College in California, Bryan Stevenson at New York University School of Law, and Deborah Willis of New York University.
The American Philosophical Society was founded in 1743 by Benjamin Franklin. This year 33 new members were elected to the society. Of the 33 new members, it appears that only one is an African American.