Samuel P. Massie facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Samuel P. Massie Jr
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Samuel P. Massie
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Samuel Proctor Massie
July 3, 1919 |
| Died | April 10, 2005 (aged 85) Laurel, Maryland, US
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| Spouse(s) | Gloria Thompkins Massie |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Chemistry |
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| Thesis | High-molecular weight compounds of nitrogen and sulfur as therapeutic agents (1946) |
| Doctoral advisor | Henry Gilman |
Samuel Proctor Massie, Jr. (born July 3, 1919 – died April 10, 2005) was an important American chemist. He studied different chemicals to help create new medicines. He was also one of the African American scientists who worked on the Manhattan Project during World War II, helping to develop atomic bombs.
Massie was named one of the top 75 important people in chemistry history. He became the third President of North Carolina College at Durham in 1963. In 1966, he made history as the first African-American professor at the U.S. Naval Academy. He was a strong supporter of African-Americans getting a good education. Many awards and even an elementary school are named after him.
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Early Life and Education
Samuel Massie Jr. was born on July 3, 1919, in Little Rock, Arkansas. He was the older of two sons. His parents, Earlee and Samuel Massie Sr., were both educators. His father was also a pastor and worked for civil rights.
Massie Jr. was very smart. He finished Dunbar High School at age 13. He then worked at a grocery store to pay for college. He wanted to go to the University of Arkansas but was not allowed because of his race. Later, in 1970, that university gave him an honorary PhD.
Instead, he went to Arkansas Agricultural, Mechanical, and Normal College. This school is now called the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff. He graduated with top honors in chemistry in 1937 when he was 18. He chose chemistry because his father had asthma, and he hoped to find a cure.
College and PhD Studies
Massie earned a master's degree in chemistry from Fisk University in Tennessee in 1940. He then taught for a year before starting his PhD at Iowa State University. His professor there was Henry Gilman.
At Iowa State, Massie faced unfair rules because of his race. He could not live on campus. He had to travel many miles to get to the university. He also was not allowed to work in the same labs as white students. He once said, "The laboratory for the white boys was on the second floor next to the library. My laboratory was in the basement next to the rats. Separate but equal."
In 1943, during his PhD studies, his father passed away. When Massie returned home, he faced more unfair treatment. His professor, Henry Gilman, helped him join the Manhattan Project. Massie later said he had to decide how to help with the war. He worked on the project from 1943 to 1945. He researched how to turn uranium isotopes into liquids for the atomic bomb. He even got scars from radiation exposure during this time. After the war, Massie finished his PhD. His research involved testing chemicals for medical uses.
Career Highlights
After getting his PhD, Massie taught at Fisk University. Then, from 1947 to 1953, he taught at Langston University in Oklahoma. He became the first African-American president of the Oklahoma Academy of Science. In 1953, he went back to Fisk University and taught there until 1960.
In 1954, he wrote an important paper about a chemical called phenothiazine. This paper was key to developing medicines for mental health. He received over 500 requests for copies of his paper from many countries.
Leadership and Teaching Roles
In 1960, Massie moved to Washington D.C. He worked at the National Science Foundation (NSF). There, he helped improve science labs at colleges across the country. He also taught as a professor at Howard University. In 1963, he became the third President of North Carolina College at Durham.
In 1966, President Johnson appointed Massie to teach at the United States Naval Academy. He was the first African-American professor there. While at the Academy, he worked to ensure equal opportunities for everyone. He also helped start a program to study Black history and culture. He retired from this job in 1993. After retiring, Massie became a vice president at a software company. He helped create educational software that taught about different cultures.
In 1984, Massie and others received a patent for a new chemical. This chemical could help treat malaria and bacterial infections.
Honors and Legacy
In 1994, the U.S. Department of Energy created the Dr. Samuel P. Massie Chair of Excellence. This was a large grant to help historically Black colleges and one Hispanic college. It helped them do research on the environment. In 1995, his portrait was placed in the National Academy of Sciences Gallery.
In 1998, readers of Chemical and Engineering News voted him one of the top 75 most important people in chemistry history. An elementary school in Prince George's County, Maryland, is named in his honor.
Personal Life
In 1947, Samuel Massie married Gloria Bell Thompkins. They met when he was teaching at Fisk University. Gloria Massie was a psychology professor at Bowie State University. She also wrote for Jet magazine. The Massies had three sons.
They lived in Laurel, Maryland. When Massie joined the U.S. Naval Academy, they could not find a home in Annapolis. Real estate agents would not show African-American families homes in good areas. Gloria Massie passed away on January 22, 2005. Samuel Massie, who had dementia, died soon after on April 10, 2005, at age 85. He also wrote a short book about his life in 2005.
