Thursday, February 2, 2012

Black History Month: Day 2 | Percy Julian

April 11, 1899- April 19, 1975

From Montgomery, AL…. Research chemist, Percy Julian, synthesized the drug: Physostigimine, which is used to treat glaucoma.  He, also, advanced a soya protein that became the basis of Aero-Foam, a foam fire extinguisher used by the U.S. Navy in World War II. 
Attending De Pauw University, as well as Harvard University to achieve his master’s degree, Julian taught chemistry at Fisk University, West Virginia State College for Negroes, Howard, and De Pauw University.  In 1936, his research was directed in soy beans at the Glidden Company in Chicago.  It was there he became the director of Chemicals Development before leaving in 1953 to start his own companies. 
 His research resulted in the mass production of hormones which led to the production of birth control, as well as the synthesis of cortisone, steroids, and other products from soy beans.  A member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. (Skee-Roo), Percy Julian was one of the first African Americans to receive a PH.D. in Chemistry. 

s.o. to Bio

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