Esther A. Hopkins facts for kids

Esther Arvilla Harrison Hopkins, born on September 18, 1926, is an amazing African American chemist and lawyer. She is famous for her work as a biophysicist and research chemist at companies like American Cyanamid and the Polaroid Corp. After her science career, she also became a lawyer, working for the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).

Early Life and Family Background

Esther Arvilla Harrison was born in Stamford, Connecticut, on September 18, 1926. Her parents were Esther Small and George Burgess Harrison. Her mother, Esther Small, moved from South Carolina to New Rochelle, New York, when she was 12. She was the first in her family to be fully free from slavery. She was also the first to finish high school and own a home.

Esther's mother married George Burgess Harrison, who worked as a chauffeur. George grew up in East Orange, New Jersey. He left high school to work as a janitor and chauffeur. Esther was born in 1926 and had two brothers, one older and one younger.

Even though her family faced money problems, Esther loved spending time at the public library and the Stamford theater. Her parents made sure she had piano lessons, which she loved. In middle and high school, Esther played piano at her church. She was also president of the Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA).

Esther's Educational Journey

Esther started kindergarten early, at just three years old, after passing a special test. She was a great student, especially in math and chemistry. She went to Hart Elementary School and Burdick Junior High School in Stamford.

In 1943, Esther graduated from Stamford High School. She was one of the top students in her class. She really wanted to go to medical school and become a doctor. Even though someone suggested she become a hairdresser, Esther was determined to study medicine.

She wanted to go to Yale University, but in 1943, it was only for boys. So, she went to Boston University and earned a bachelor's degree in chemistry in 1947. She couldn't get into Boston University's medical school because they only had two spots for African American students. Instead, she went to Howard University and got her master's degree in organic chemistry in 1949.

Later, while working as a chemist, she went back to Yale University. She earned a second master's degree in 1962 and her Ph.D. in chemistry in 1967. Her Ph.D. research looked at how fireflies release a chemical called adenosine diphosphate (ADP).

Her Amazing Career in Science and Law

After getting her master's degree from Howard University, Esther Hopkins taught chemistry at Virginia State College from 1949 to 1952. Then, she decided to focus on research.

In 1955, she became an assistant researcher in biophysics at the New England Institute for Medical Research. She worked there until 1959. After that, she became a research chemist at American Cyanamid's lab in Stamford. While working there, she earned her two advanced degrees from Yale.

After finishing her Ph.D., Hopkins was hired by the Polaroid Corporation in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 1967. She became a supervisor in the Emulsion Coating and Analysis Laboratory. Her job was to check the chemical makeup of film coatings to make sure they were even.

In 1975, Hopkins attended a special conference called the National Science Foundation's Double Blind Symposium. This conference talked about the difficulties faced by minorities, people with disabilities, and women in science and technology fields. Her own experiences as an African American woman sparked her interest in law, especially patent law.

While still working at Polaroid, she went to Suffolk University Law School. She earned her law degree in 1976, focusing on patent law. In 1989, Hopkins left Polaroid and started working as a lawyer for the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection. She retired from the DEP in 1999.

Even after retiring, she stayed active in her community. She became the first African American person elected to the local Framingham Board of Selectmen. This group helps make important decisions for the town.

Personal Life and Family

Esther married John Mitchell in 1955. They met when he was studying for his doctorate at Boston University. They had a daughter named Susan, who sadly passed away in early adulthood from diabetes. Their marriage ended a few years later.

In 1959, Esther moved back to Stamford. There, she met and married Ewell Hopkins, a local minister and social worker. They had one son, Ewell Hopkins Jr. Esther and Ewell were married for 42 years until his death in 2001. Today, she lives on Martha's Vineyard.

Awards and Special Recognitions

Esther Hopkins has received many awards and honors throughout her life:

• 1967: Joined the Phi Beta Kappa and Sigma Xi honor societies at Yale University.
• 1977: Received the Scarley Key from Boston University.
• Golden Member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority at Boston University.
• 1979: Named Woman of the Year by the Framingham Business & Professional Women's Club.
• 1984: Named Woman of the Year by the Framingham Regional Family YMCA.
• 1999: Became the first African American on the Framingham Board of Selectmen.
• 2011: Named a Fellow of the American Chemical Society.
• 2020: Received the Creative Sageing Award from the Unitarian Universalist Retired Ministers and Partners Association.