As a black mathematician, my work was comparable to that of Blackwell and Wilkins, but my career had one major fault--I resolutely refused to obtain a Ph.D. (i.e. I considered it a waste of time).
By age 19, I had earned a B.S. in Mathematics and a B.S. in Biology; by age 23, I had published eight high-quality papers in mathematics.
Overall, I published six mathematics books and nearly 80 papers in algebra, analysis, mathematical biology, statistics, and topology...being considerd the undisputed leader in the mathematical area of Random Polynomials.
Despite not having a Ph.D., I spent most of my career as a mathematics professsor at Wayne State University.
Despondent over the death of my cherished wife, I took my own life in 1990.
Answer:
Albert T. Bharucha-Reid (1930-1990)