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Journal of African American Studies
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28-02-2019 | ARTICLES

M3: Leroy Raadel Posey, an African American Inventor of a Mathematics Teaching Machine

Authors: Patricia A. Young, Evelyn K. Thomas

Published in: Journal of African American Studies | Issue 1-2/2019

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Abstract

Evidence of African American cultural ingenuity can be found throughout history. This article chronicles the extraordinary story of Leroy Raadel Posey, an African American inventor of a mathematics teaching machine—the Combination Slide Board. Through a historical examination of primary source documents, the man behind the machine is revealed as a mathematics educator whose life’s work focused on providing access to the mysteries behind mathematics. The patent details the purpose of the Combination Slide Board as a teaching machine and calculating device. An examination of Posey’s research and publications exposes his innovations in the emerging field of mathematics education. This analysis reveals the journey of the man, machine, and mathematics (M³) and the creation of the Combination Slide Board as a twentieth-century teaching machine.
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Footnotes
1
Petrie, Charles John. “The History of Education in Christian County.” University of Kentucky, 1939,183-189.Attucks high school was named after Christopher Attucks, a black solider of the American Revolution who was one of the first African Americans to be killed.
 
2
Additional support that Posey lived in university housing was a letter he sent to Dean Cade on September 1, 1944. Posey asked Dean Cade to keep an eye on his house and garden for him. (Leroy R. Posey to John B. Cade, Handwritten letter about trip to Rockdale, TX, 1 September 1944. Volume 35, No.1, Leroy Raadel Posey Papers. Southern University Catalog Collection, John B. Cade Library). In addition, Posey’s 1943 contract indicated Southern University, Scotlandsville, LA, as his home address. L.R. Posey employment form, December 6, 1943. Volume 35, No.1, Leroy Raadel Posey Papers. Southern University Catalog Collection, John B. Cade Library.
 
Literature
Benjamin, L. T. (1988). A history of teaching machines. American Psychologist, 43, 703–712.CrossRef
Commencement Program (1914). Fiskana collection-commencement programs, Fisk University, Franklin library special collections.
Eidson, W. P. (1956). The role of instructional aids in arithmetic education. In The Ohio State University. Columbus: Ohio.
Fry, E. B. (1963). Teaching machines and programmed instruction: an introduction. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc..
Hills, E. J. (1950). A course in the slide rule and logrithms. Boston: Ginn and Company.
Instructor receiving acclaim for invention used in math. (1954). Memphis world publishing co.
Kay, H., Dodd, B., & Sime, M. (1968). Teaching machines and programmed instruction. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books, Ltd..
Lane, U. S. (1971). The history of Southern University: 1879–1960. Unpublished dissertation, Utah State University, Logon, Utah.
Lucas, M. E. (1885). Calculating-machines. Popular Science Monthly, 441–452.
Lumsdaine, A. A. (1960). Teaching machines: an introductory overview. In A. A. Lumsdaine & R. Glaser (Eds.), Teaching machines and programmed learning (Vol. 1, pp. 5–22). Washington DC: National Education Association.
Petrie, C. J. (1939). The history of education in Christian county. Hopkinsville, Kentucky: University of Kentucky.
Posey, L. R. (1930). A critical and historical study of “De Moivre”s theorem with applications. In Ohio State University. Columbus: Ohio.
Posey, L. R. (1934). A method of determining the sign and value of i, where i equals v-1 and n is any rational positive integer equal to, or greater than two. School Science and Mathematics, 34(8), 812–815.CrossRef
Posey, L. R. (1935). A correction concerning i n. School Science and Mathematics, 35(5), 512.CrossRef
Posey, L. R. (1940a). A general formula for magic squares of various orders beginning with numbers different from unity. School Science and Mathematics, 40(4), 315–319.CrossRef
Posey, L. R. (1940b). USA patent no. 2188723. U. S. P. Office.
Posey, L. R. (1946). Change of base. School Science and Mathematics, 46(9), 871–878.CrossRef
Posey, L. R. (1948). The psalm of mathematics. School Science and Mathematics, 48(3), 225.CrossRef
Posey Photo credit line: Courtesy of ©The Archives Department/John B. Cade Library/Southern University and A & M College/Baton Rouge, LA 70813–0001.
Pressey, S. L. (1932). A third and fourth contribution toward the coming ‘industrial revolution’; in education. School & Society, 36, 668–672.
Stolurow, L. M., & Davis, D. (1965). Teaching machines and computer-based systems. In R. Glaser (Ed.), Teaching machines and programed learning: Data and directions (pp. 162–212). Washington DC: National Education Association of the United States.
Vincent, C. (1981). A centennial history of Southern University and A & M College: 1880–1980. Baton Rouge, LA: The University.
Metadata
Title
M3: Leroy Raadel Posey, an African American Inventor of a Mathematics Teaching Machine
Authors
Patricia A. Young
Evelyn K. Thomas
Publication date
28-02-2019
Publisher
Springer US
Published in
Journal of African American Studies / Issue 1-2/2019
Print ISSN: 1559-1646
Electronic ISSN: 1936-4741
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s12111-019-09421-1

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