Dr. Percy Laven Julian
Aidan Killian
Childhood: hard and rough
When Percy declared that he wanted to be a chemist, his dad and teacher both knew that he would never get his PhD, because of his skin color, as Percy would later note; "I had every qualification except skin color," which was true, of course. The best job he could really get, thought his dad and teacher, was a chemistry class in an all-black school. So, to 'cushion the fall' they discouraged him, so that the disappointment wouldn't be too horrible.
Percy Julian has now been forgotten
Most people don't know that he even existed. He has been lost to time, nobody really knows who he is, and his significance.
He was the greatest chemist of his time
He found a fatal flaw in the synthesis of a popular white chemist, as well as a cure of his own for the deadly disease.
He became the most popular
When he showed the flaw in the white chemist's synthesis, he took the man's place as the most popular chemist. He still wasn't the most respected, however. He dodged racists everywhere, but when someone needed something he would be all like, "I can do that!" and he did. (He didn't actually exclaim, "I can do that!", but you get the point.
Dr. Percy Julian: defying racism
Julian was constantly facing racist neighbors, insults, and even dangerous threats.
The neighbors were racists. They had an all-white neighborhood until Percy moved in. It went out of control from there. From threats of harm if they didn't move out, to bombs thrown in their yard. This bomb was very close to the children, but did not harm them. It was set off while Percy was away. The neighbors threatened to continue this, unless they moved out. Percy replied, "This is an issue which is fundamental to this nation's future. I'm ready to give up my science and my life to bring a halt to this senseless terrorism," as well as; "This is our house, and we're going to stay." He definitely helped defeat racism, and he would have been glad to see how little racism is now, but still annoyed at the fact that some people still are racist at this day and age.