Percy Lavon Julian facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Percy Lavon Julian
Julian c. 1940–1968
Born	(1899-04-11)April 11, 1899 Montgomery, Alabama, U.S.
Died	April 19, 1975(1975-04-19) (aged 76) Waukegan, Illinois, U.S.
Education	DePauw University (B.A.) Harvard University (M.S.) University of Vienna (PhD)
Occupation	Chemist
Spouse(s)	Anna Roselle Johnson ​ (m. 1935)​
Children	2

Percy Lavon Julian (April 11, 1899 – April 19, 1975) was an African American chemist known for his work with soybeans and his contributions to medicine. He was one of the most influential chemists of the 20th century.

Julian received more than 130 chemical patents. He was one of the first African Americans to receive a doctorate in chemistry. He was the first African-American chemist inducted into the National Academy of Sciences, and the second African-American scientist inducted (after David Blackwell) from any field.

Early life and education

Percy Julian was the oldest of six children in a family that valued education. His parents, James Sumner Julian and Elizabeth Lena Adams Julian, were both graduates of what would become Alabama State University. They encouraged all their children to pursue higher education. However, opportunities for African Americans were limited. Julian attended DePauw University in Indiana, where he faced segregation and had to live off-campus and work odd jobs to support himself. Despite these hardships, he graduated first in his class in 1920 with a degree in chemistry.

Julian wanted to earn a Ph.D. in chemistry, but racial barriers made it difficult. He eventually received a fellowship to study at the University of Vienna in Austria, where he earned his doctorate in 1931. This experience gave him the freedom to explore science without the racial prejudices he faced in the United States.

Career

After returning from Vienna, Julian taught for one year at Howard University.

The Glidden Company, a supplier of soybean oil products, offered Julian the position of director of research at Glidden's Soya Products Division in Chicago. On December 1, 1953, Julian left Glidden after 18 years, giving up a salary of nearly $50,000 a year (equivalent to $550,000 in 2022) to found his own company, Julian Laboratories, Inc.

In 1964, Julian founded Julian Associates and Julian Research Institute, which he managed for the rest of his life. Julian also helped to found the Legal Defense and Educational Fund of Chicago, where he served on the boards of various organizations and universities.

Groundbreaking discoveries

Percy Julian’s work revolutionized the field of chemistry and medicine. Here are some of his most important contributions:

Synthesizing Medicines from Plants

Julian was a pioneer in using plants to create medicines. In 1935, he synthesized physostigmine, a drug used to treat glaucoma, from the calabar bean. This was a major breakthrough in medicinal chemistry.

Soybean Innovations

Julian discovered how to extract valuable chemicals from soybeans. He developed a soy-based foam called Aer-O-Foam, which the U.S. Navy used to fight fires during World War II. This invention saved countless lives.

Hormones and Steroids

Julian found a way to produce hormones like progesterone and testosterone from soybean oil. These hormones are essential for treating various medical conditions, including infertility and arthritis. His work made these treatments more affordable and accessible.

Cortisone Production

One of Julian’s most famous achievements was improving the production of cortisone, a steroid used to treat arthritis. His method made cortisone cheaper and easier to produce, helping millions of people worldwide.

Overcoming challenges

Julian faced many challenges because of his race. He was denied teaching positions and job opportunities for racial reasons.

In 1923 he received an Austin Fellowship in Chemistry, which allowed him to attend Harvard University to obtain his M.S. However, worried that white students would resent being taught by an African American, Harvard withdrew Julian's teaching assistantship, making it impossible for him to complete his Ph.D. there.

In 1936 Julian was denied a professorship at DePauw for racial reasons. DuPont offered a job to Pikl, but declined to hire Julian, despite his superlative qualifications as an organic chemist, apologizing that they were "unaware he was black".

Around 1950, Julian moved his family to the Chicago suburb of Oak Park, becoming the first African-American family to reside there. Although some residents welcomed them, there was also opposition. Before they moved in, on Thanksgiving Day, 1950, their home was firebombed. Later, after they moved in, the house was attacked with dynamite on June 12, 1951. The attacks galvanized the community, and a community group was formed to support the Julians. Julian's son later recounted that during these times, he and his father often kept watch over the family's property by sitting on the front porch with a shotgun.

Despite these hardships, Julian remained determined and used his success to advocate for civil rights. He became a role model for African Americans in science and supported organizations like the NAACP.

Personal life

On December 24, 1935, he married Anna Roselle (Ph.D. in Sociology, 1937, University of Pennsylvania). They had two children: Percy Lavon Julian, Jr. (August 31, 1940 – February 24, 2008), who became a noted civil rights lawyer in Madison, Wisconsin; and Faith Roselle Julian (born 1944).

Death

Julian died of liver cancer in Waukegan, Illinois on April 19, 1975, a week after his 76th birthday.

Legacy and impact

Percy Julian’s work laid the foundation for modern medicine and chemistry. He held over 130 patents and received numerous awards, including the Spingarn Medal from the NAACP. His discoveries improved the lives of millions and inspired future generations of scientists.

Fun facts about Percy Julian

• Julian's father, James, was employed as a clerk in the Railway Service of the United States Post Office, and his mother Elizabeth was a schoolteacher.
• Julian’s soy-based foam was nicknamed “bean soup” by the U.S. Navy.
• Percy Julian was fluent in German.
• He was the first African American chemist inducted into the National Academy of Sciences.
• Ruben Santiago-Hudson portrayed Percy Julian in the Public Broadcasting Service Nova documentary about his life, called "Forgotten Genius". It was presented on the PBS network on February 6, 2007.
• The Percy Lavon Julian family papers are archived at DePauw University.

Honors and legacy

• In 1947, he was awarded the Spingarn Medal from the NAACP.
• In 1950, the Chicago Sun-Times named Percy Julian the Chicagoan of the Year.
• He was elected to the National Academy of Sciences in 1973 in recognition of his scientific achievements. He became the second African American to be inducted, after David Blackwell.
• Since 1975, the National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers has presented the Percy L. Julian Award for Pure and Applied Research in Science and Engineering.
• In 1975, Percy L. Julian High School was opened on the south side of Chicago, Illinois as a Chicago public high school.
• In 1980, the science and mathematics building on the DePauw University campus was rededicated as the Percy L. Julian Mathematics and Science Center. In Greencastle, Indiana, where DePauw is located, a street was named after Julian.
• In 1985, Hawthorne School in Oak Park, Illinois, was renamed Percy Julian Middle School.
• Illinois State University, where Julian served on the board of trustees, named a hall after him.
• A structure at Coppin State University is named the Percy Julian Science Building.
• In 1990, he was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame.
• In 1993 Julian was honored on a stamp issued by the United States Postal Service.
• In 1999, the American Chemical Society recognized Julian's synthesis of physostigmine as a National Historic Chemical Landmark.
• In 2002, scholar Molefi Kete Asante listed Percy Lavon Julian on his list of 100 Greatest African-Americans.
• In 2011, the qualifying exam preparation committee at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine was named for Percy Julian.
• In 2014, Google honored him with a Doodle.
• In 2019, asteroid 5622 Percyjulian, discovered by Eleanor Helin at Palomar Observatory in 1990, was named in his memory. The naming citation was published by the Minor Planet Center on August 27, 2019 (M.P.C. 115893).

Patents

• US patent 2218971, October 22, 1940, Recovery of sterols
• US patent 2373686, July 15, 1942, Phosphatide product and method of making
• US patent 2752339, June 26, 1956, Preparation of cortisone
• US patent 3149132, September 15, 1964, 16-aminomenthyl-17-alkyltestosterone derivatives
• US patent 3274178, September 20, 1966, Method for preparing 16(alpha)-hydroxypregnenes and intermediates obtained therein
• US patent 3761469, September 25, 1973, Process for the manufacture of steroid chlorohydrins; with Arnold Lippert Hirsch

See also

In Spanish: Percy Lavon Julian para niños

• List of African-American inventors and scientists