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| Percy Lavon Julian, PhD Research Chemist, Inventor & Pioneer |
Today we celebrate the birthday of Percy Lavon Julian, (April 11, 1899-April 19, 1975) a U.S. research chemist and pioneer specializing in the chemical synthesis of medicinal drugs from plants. Julian became a chemistry instructor at Fisk University. He received an Austin Fellowship in Chemistry in 1923, then enrolled at Harvard to complete his masters degree. In 1931, Percy Julian obtained his PhD in Chemistry from the University of Vienna.
Julian had to overcome the obstacles of segregation. As an African-American, he was denied opportunities to work for large corporations, but held more than 100 patents and received 19 honorary doctorate degrees. In 1951, he and his family moved to Oak Park, Illinois and became the first African-American family to live there. Although his house was firebombed twice, the community largely backed him and celebrates his birthday to this day as a holiday.
Despite his adversity, Percy Julian ascended to international notoriety. He was entered into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 1990 and in 1993 the U.S. Postal Service honored him with a Black Heritage Commemorative Stamp. Happy Birthday Dr. Julian!
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