PreprintCC BY 4.0arXiv
Letter to a Young Black Mathematician: History, Storytelling, and Belonging in Mathematics
Abstract
What does it mean to tell the story of a mathematician? Written as a letter to a young Black mathematician, this article reflects on how stories shape our understanding of mathematics and our sense of belonging within the mathematical community. Through the lens of Hidden Figures Revealed, a project documenting Black mathematicians at The Ohio State University, I discuss humanity, mathematics, and context as three guiding principles for mathematical storytelling. In particular, I reflect on how this framework emerged through archival research, shaped historical narratives, and informed mathematical learning experiences.
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BibTeX
@misc{clark2026letter,
title = {{Letter to a Young Black Mathematician: History, Storytelling, and Belonging in Mathematics}},
author = {Ranthony A. Clark},
howpublished = {arXiv},
year = {2026},
month = nov,
doi = {10.48550/arxiv.2611.00125},
eprint = {2611.00125},
archivePrefix = {arXiv},
url = {https://arxiv.org/abs/2611.00125},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - UNPB
TI - Letter to a Young Black Mathematician: History, Storytelling, and Belonging in Mathematics
AU - Ranthony A. Clark
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/11/01
PB - arXiv
DO - 10.48550/arxiv.2611.00125
UR - https://arxiv.org/abs/2611.00125
AB - What does it mean to tell the story of a mathematician? Written as a letter to a young Black mathematician, this article reflects on how stories shape our understanding of mathematics and our sense of belonging within the mathematical community. Through the lens of Hidden Figures Revealed, a project documenting Black mathematicians at The Ohio State University, I discuss humanity, mathematics, and context as three guiding principles for mathematical storytelling. In particular, I reflect on how this framework emerged through archival research, shaped historical narratives, and informed mathematical learning experiences.
ER -