Percy Julian Middle School is our school in Oak Park, Illinois. Percy Julian was a very accomplished scientist. He was born 1899 in Montgomery Alabama, one of six brothers and sisters. His mother was a teacher and his father was a railroad mail clerk. He was very smart but could not go higher then 8th grade because the city of Montgomery didn't allow black students to go higher than that. He entered DePauw University in Indiana as a sub-freshman. When graduated, he got a job teaching chemistry at Fisk University. Then he got a degree to Harvard. After graduating from Harvard he got his Ph.D. from the University of Vienna.

His first major contribution to the science world was in 1935, when he synthesized physiognomies the drug to treat glaucoma. He got a job at a factory and that is where he invented fire extinguishing foam. In 1935 he married Anna Johnson. Julian and his family then moved from Chicago to Oak Park.

His home was fire-bombed on Thanksgiving Day 1950 and was bombed with dynamite on June 12, 1951. Those responsible were not from the Village of Oak Park. Many people were really upset about this because they believed that the Julian's should live where they wanted.

He founded Julian Laboratories Inc., Julian Associates, and Julian Research Institute. He has 130 chemical patents and was elected National Academy of Sciences in recognition of his achievements. He died April 19, 1975 of liver cancer. His daughter Anna, still lives in the family home in Oak Park.

Text and html: Sarah Pooley and Nichelle Hibbler
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Photo: Percy Julian Middle School

Bibliography: "Percy Julian." Wikipedia. 17 Dec. 2005 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Percy_Julian>.

"Percy Julian." The Black Inventor On-line Museum. 15 Dec. 2005 <http://www.blackinventor.com/pages/percyjulian.html>.

"Percy Lavon Julian." Percy Julian Middle School. 20 Dec. 2006 <http://www.op97.org/julian/bio/>.