Honoring Jewel Plummer Cobb

Summer 2021 WHHM Exhibit

“Honoring Jewel Plummer Cobb” exhibit tells the story of the change in name of Agassiz Road to Jewel Cobb Road.  Woods Hole residents initiated a community wide campaign upon learning that the prominent scientist, Louis Agassiz, credited with inspiring the start of the Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL), was a white supremacist who used his science in support of his racist theories.  Seventeen illustrated panels give a step-by-step narrative of the way the name change came about.

The museum exhibit is a large, illustrated banner that provides information on Dr. Jewel Plummer Cobb, a distinguished scientist and Falmouth resident.  Dr. Cobb was a cell biologist and educator.  Early in her career she worked at the MBL.  Subsequently, she became Dean at several colleges and universities and President of California State University at Fullerton. She was most proud of her mentorship of aspiring young scientists, especially women and people of color.  The exhibit includes fond remembrances of Dr. Cobb from Woods Hole and Falmouth colleagues, friends and neighbors.