As a leader and innovator in the field of chemistry, Dr. Percy Lavon Julian, was one the first African Americans to be recognized for his achievements in the synthesis of progesterone, estrogen and testosterone.
Dr. Julian was born on April 11, 1899 in Montgomery, Alabama, to Elizabeth Lena Adams and James Sumner Julian. Due to Jim Crow, he was only able to attend a black teacher training school after completing public school but was finally admitted as a sub-freshman at the predominately white DePaw University in Indiana. Although he was behind the regular freshman class, Julian persevered and graduated Phi Beta Kappa and valedictorian from DePawin in 1920.
Unfortunately, despite his high scholastic achievements, Percy was unable to attend a graduate school in order to obtain a Ph.D in chemistry. Instead he was able to obtain a position at Fisk University teaching chemistry. He applied for and received the Austin fellowship in chemistry which allowed him to attend Harvard University where he would obtain a Masters degree in chemistry.
Unable to obtain his doctorate from Harvard University due to discriminatory reasons, Percy would receive his Ph.D in Chemistry from the University of Vienna in 1931. He would be one of the first African Americans to obtain such a degree.
Returning to the United States, Dr. Julian secured a teaching position at Howard University but university politics forced him to resign. He then returned to DePaw University as a researcher but due to discriminatory issues he was unable to teach at the university.
However, Dr. Julian persevered and focused on an important research project that lead to the synthesis of physostigmine, a product that is used to treat glaucoma. This achievement resulted in DuPont Industries offering him and his Austrian college a position in their firm. Unfortunately, the offer was withdrawn when DuPont learned that Dr. Julian was a black man. Even the institute of Paper Chemistry in Appelton, WI offered him a position but he had to turn it down when he learned of an old town statute that forbade negroes from staying in the town overnight.
Once again perseverance enabled Dr. Julian to find employment, this time with Glidden. His duties included the training of other black chemists, a task he did for many years. His achievements in the synthesis of progesterone, estrogen and testosterone won him acclaim in the field of chemistry. Even during World War II, he developed a foam from soy protein that could put out all oil and gas fires. A product the U.S. Military purchased in bulk. After Glidden decide to move their product lines out of their current market, Dr. Julian resigned from the company in 1953 to form his own company called Julian Laboratories, Inc.
With over 130 patents under his belt and much acclaim in his field of chemistry, Dr. Julian was elected into the National Academy of Sciences in 1973. The second African American to be inducted into this prestigious organization.
Dr. Percy Lavon Julian died of liver cancer on April 19, 1975 in Waukegan, Il.
To honor his achievements, the U.S. Postal Service released a Black Heritage Stamp bearing his image in 1993.
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