Percy Julian

A scientist of African descent named Julian was born in Montgomery, Alabama, in 1899. Due to Montgomery's segregated high schools at the time, he could not finish his education because he lived during this time.

Julian was a talented student throughout his life despite the many obstacles he encountered, notably in chemistry. He never completed the 10th grade, but he was nonetheless accepted to Indiana's DePauw University. He would later pursue studies at some of the most esteemed institutions in the world, including Harvard and the University of Vienna.

Even though he missed out on a number of possibilities because of his race, Julian's work on creating different chemicals from plants would still have a significant impact on the globe. His method of creating beneficial chemicals from soybeans resulted in the development of Aer-O-Foam, which would ultimately save many lives during World War 2.

Born: April 11, 1899Montgomery, Alabama, U.S.
Died: April 19, 1975 (aged 76)Waukegan, Illinois, U.S.