Pioneer of Science and Society “You can do right all your life and nobody says anything.but you go out and make one little mistake and everybody censures you” - Samuel P. Massie. Samuel P. Massie was a trailblazer in science and society. He was one of the few African American chemists to work on the Manhattan Project. He was the first African American professor to work at the US Naval Academy. Massie was a researcher in the field of antibacterial agents and finding cures for them. He pioneered in the field of chemistry and was an inspiration. Massie is an interesting man to research as he breaks racial barriers and forged paths for scientists of color. Samuel P. Massie Jr. was born in Little Rock, Arkansas, United States on July 3, 1919. His
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His goal as a child was to become a chemist, as he wanted to help his father. His father unfortunately suffered from asthma and Massie felt as though he could make a difference. Massie faced challenges entering college because he was African American. He was denied entrance to the University of Arkansas due to his race. In order to complete his education, he attended the Agricultural Mechanical Normal College of Arkansas. From there, he attended Fisk University and Iowa State University, where he received a Ph.D in organic chemistry. Massie was recruited to work on the Manhattan Project by his former mentor after the military denied him entrance. He worked with the Ames Project, which produced purified uranium. Massie would spend three years researching. His task was to find a way to convert uranium isotopes into liquid. After the war, Massie taught at the Naval Academy as a professor of chemistry. His research focused on anti-bacterial agents, malaria, cancer, and more. Massie and several other scientists patented a drug used to treat …show more content…
Massie’s research has improved the lives of humans across the world. During his career as a chemist, Massie faced many challenges due to the color of his skin. As a college student, Massie was given a lab in the basement, segregated from the white students. After college, Massie wanted to continue his education and enter a doctorate program. He applied through the army, but they rejected him. “A member of his draft board objected with a racial slur, saying that Massie already had too much education for a Black person” ( “Samuel P. Massie”). In response to this rejection, Massie was recruited by his academic mentor, Henry Gilman. Gilman, a chemist working on the Manhattan Project, had the task of working with uranium for the bomb. Samuel Massie was one of the greatest chemists of his time. He was a pioneer who forged a path for African Americans in science. His legacy remains in the Dr. Samuel P. Massie Chair of Excellence. This is a $14.7 million grant that provides opportunities in research for black colleges. In 1998, Massie was named one of the 75 most distinguished chemists of the century by Chemical and Engineering
His goal as a child was to become a chemist, as he wanted to help his father. His father unfortunately suffered from asthma and Massie felt as though he could make a difference. Massie faced challenges entering college because he was African American. He was denied entrance to the University of Arkansas due to his race. In order to complete his education, he attended the Agricultural Mechanical Normal College of Arkansas. From there, he attended Fisk University and Iowa State University, where he received a Ph.D in organic chemistry. Massie was recruited to work on the Manhattan Project by his former mentor after the military denied him entrance. He worked with the Ames Project, which produced purified uranium. Massie would spend three years researching. His task was to find a way to convert uranium isotopes into liquid. After the war, Massie taught at the Naval Academy as a professor of chemistry. His research focused on anti-bacterial agents, malaria, cancer, and more. Massie and several other scientists patented a drug used to treat …show more content…
Massie’s research has improved the lives of humans across the world. During his career as a chemist, Massie faced many challenges due to the color of his skin. As a college student, Massie was given a lab in the basement, segregated from the white students. After college, Massie wanted to continue his education and enter a doctorate program. He applied through the army, but they rejected him. “A member of his draft board objected with a racial slur, saying that Massie already had too much education for a Black person” ( “Samuel P. Massie”). In response to this rejection, Massie was recruited by his academic mentor, Henry Gilman. Gilman, a chemist working on the Manhattan Project, had the task of working with uranium for the bomb. Samuel Massie was one of the greatest chemists of his time. He was a pioneer who forged a path for African Americans in science. His legacy remains in the Dr. Samuel P. Massie Chair of Excellence. This is a $14.7 million grant that provides opportunities in research for black colleges. In 1998, Massie was named one of the 75 most distinguished chemists of the century by Chemical and Engineering