Percy Lavon Julian

Percy Lavon Julian married Anna Roselle on December 24, 1935. She was a Ph.D. in Sociology, from University of Pennsylvania. The couple had two children Percy Lavon Julian, Jr. and Faith Roselle Julian. Percy Junior later became a prestigious civil rights lawyer in Madison, Wisconsin.

In old age, Julian developed liver cancer and died on April 19, 1975 from it. He was buried in Elm Lawn Cemetery in Elmhurst, Illinois. Even today, many budding scientists are inspired by his life not only for the drugs he had invented, but also for the battle he had to fight for doing what he did.

The legacy of Percy Lavon Julian is alive even to this day. Every year since 1975, the National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers presents the Percy L. Julian Award for Pure and Applied Research in Science and Engineering.

Percy Lavon Julian was born in Montgomery, Alabama on April 11, 1899. His father James Julian was a mail clerk in the Railway Service of the United States Post Office and his mother Elizabeth Lena Julian was a school teacher. Percy was the eldest of their six children.

During the time when Percy Julian was born racial segregation was a law in Alabama and lynching was not yet a federal crime. Percy started his education at a segregated elementary school and studied up to eighth grade. One day while walking in the woods he came across the body of a lynched man hanging from a tree. The memory stayed with him all his life.

As there was no high school for African-American children in Montgomery Percy was forced to join Alabama State Norman School, which laid more stress on practical training like hat making or blacksmithing. It taught very little science. Percy was forced to quench his thirst for knowledge at his father’s library.

In 1916, he entered DePauw University, located in Greencastle, Indiana. It accepted African American students, but they were not allowed to stay in college dormitory. By that time, Percy had set his goal on becoming a chemist. So, he found work in a fraternity house, which offered boarding and lodging in lieu of salary and continued his studies.

Because he came from a Normal School, which taught very little science, he had to take special classes. In spite of that, when he passed out in 1920, he was among the best boys of the class and received the highest grade. He also became a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Society and a valedictorian.

In order to become a chemist, it was essential for Percy Lavon Julian to join a graduating school; but knew that nobody would take him because of his color. So he took up a teaching job at Fisk University, meant for African American students. He taught there for two years.

Later one of Percy’s old professors persuaded the Harvard University to allow him to do his M.S. Percy also received Austin Fellowship in chemistry, which solved the financial problem. He completed the course within a year and graduated in 1923. During this period, he started research work on organic chemistry.

Percy also wanted to earn his Ph. D from Harvard University and to teach there. Although he was initially invited to join the university, later it was withdrawn on the ground that white students may not like to study under a black professor. In spite of that, he stayed back at Harvard for three more years accepting the post of an instructor.

In 1926, Percy Julian joined West Virginia Collegiate Institute, meant for black student. The college had no infrastructure or laboratory and he was the only faculty at the department of chemistry. In spite of such hurdles, he started his research, synthesizing plant compounds like nicotine and ephedrine.

In 1928, Julian went to Washington to join Howard University, a historically important black college in America. There he designed a chemistry laboratory at a cost of one million dollar.

Synthesis of physostigmine was the first major research work undertaken by Julian. In 1933, he and his co-researcher Pikl perfected the process of synthesizing physostigmine, which led to its mass production and this in turn made treatment of glaucoma affordable for all.

While at Glidden, Julian did extensive research on soya bean and invented many novel products from it. His first invention was a product called lecithin. It was used for preservation of food and also to make chocolate smooth. Aer-o-foam, a fire retardant used extensively during World War II by the US Navy, was also invented during this period.

He also invented the method of producing large amount of stigmasterol, an important steroid that contains sex hormones such as progesterone. His invention led to better treatment during pregnancy and prevention of miscarriages.

Julian also found a way to mass produce cortisone from stigmasterol. Cortisone was used in the treatment of inflammation and arthritis. However, prior to his invention, cortisone was extracted from cattle bile and was priced too high. After his invention its price was drastically reduced and became affordable for most.