Benjamin F. Peery, Howard University astronomer, dies at 88
Benjamin F. Peery, 88, an astrophysicist who spent the second half of his career as a professor at Howard University, died Nov. 30 at his home in Silver Spring. He had dementia. An expert on the chemical makeup of stars, Dr. Peery was a professor at Indiana University for 18 years before deciding to shift to Howard in 1977. His aim was to train young African American astronomers, he told The Washington Post in 1991, but it was difficult to coax Howard students into the field. Read more