9 1 8 . ▁He ▁studied ▁under ▁Harrison ▁Mc All ister ▁Rand all . ▁Im es ▁was ▁the ▁second ▁African ▁American ▁to ▁receive ▁a ▁Ph . D . ▁in ▁physics ▁since ▁Edward ▁B ouch et ▁did ▁so ▁from ▁Y ale ▁University ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 6 ; ▁Im es ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁African ▁American ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 th ▁century ▁to ▁gain ▁this ▁degree . ▁ ▁Ar ound ▁ 1 9 1 9 , ▁after ▁moving ▁to ▁New ▁York ▁to ▁work ▁in ▁industry , ▁Im es ▁married ▁Nella ▁Lars en , ▁a ▁nur se ▁who ▁became ▁a ▁writer . ▁An ▁American ▁of ▁Dan ish ▁and ▁Af ro - Car ib bean ▁descent , ▁she ▁is ▁considered ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁Har lem ▁Renaissance , ▁having ▁published ▁short ▁stories ▁and ▁two ▁nov els ▁in ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 9 2 0 s . ▁The ▁couple ▁had ▁moved ▁from ▁Jersey ▁City , ▁New ▁Jersey , ▁to ▁Har lem , ▁where ▁they ▁became ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁professional ▁and ▁cultural ▁society ▁that ▁included ▁artists ▁and ▁intellect uals ▁such ▁as ▁Lang ston ▁Hugh es ▁and ▁W . E . B . ▁Du ▁Bo is , ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁black ▁el ite . ▁ ▁Due ▁to ▁stra ins ▁in ▁their ▁marriage , ▁they ▁divor ced ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 3 . ▁Im es ▁had ▁returned ▁to ▁F isk ▁University ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 9 ▁for ▁an ▁academic ▁career , ▁developing ▁and ▁leading ▁its ▁physics ▁department . ▁ ▁Intern ation ally ▁ren owned ▁phys ic ist ▁Im