Bryn Mawr College Honors Its First Black Alumna

Bryn Mawr College, the highly rated liberal arts educational institution for women in suburban Philadelphia, has named its new residence hall to honor Enid Cook, the college’s first African American graduate. The college’s Black Cultural Center will also be housed in the new Cook Center.

Enid Cook was not permitted to live on campus when she was a student at Bryn Mawr. She graduated in 1931 with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry and biology. She went on to earn a Ph.D. at the University of Chicago and lectured at the university’s medical school. Later Dr. Cook served as chief of the public health laboratory and was a professor of microbiology at the University of Panama. She died in 1989.

Kim Cassidy, president of Bryn Mawr College, stated that “the Cook Center stands as a testament to the accomplishments of the many women of color who have attended Bryn Mawr and as a reminder of the work that remains to be done in creating a more just and equitable world.”