Monmouth, Illinois (April 13, 1906 – 1998) age ~92 years

Dr. Irene Diggs, born Ellen Diggs, was an American anthropologist. She was a pioneering Black scholar in African Diaspora and Afro-Latin studies. She received her BA from the University of Minnesota in 1928. She earned her MA from Atlanta University in 1933, where she worked as chief research assistant for W.E.B. Dubois. DuBois increasingly depended on Ms. Diggs to provide him with the source materials he needed for his many research projects. In 1943 Ms. Diggs enrolled in a doctoral program at the University of Havana and was awarded a doctorate degree in 1945. After graduation, she spent some months in Montevideo and Buenos Aires. She visited Africa and investigated lesser-known parts of Europe, including Cyprus, Iceland, and Finland. In 1978, the Association of Black Anthropologists recognized her outstanding achievements. They presented her with its Distinguished Scholar Award. Her research focused on the struggles and achievements of peoples of African descent in the new World.