{"id":"rl4uiir","internal_id":"3a132e57-b4a0-4a41-9c4d-c1c031b74eb0","links":{"img_thumbnail":"https://digital.sciencehistory.org/downloads/deriv/oae3kkz/thumb_large_2X?disposition=inline","html_self":"https://digital.sciencehistory.org/works/rl4uiir"},"title":"Portrait of Percy Lavon Julian","additional_title":[],"format":["image"],"genre":["Photographs"],"medium":[],"extent":["28.5 cm W x  35.6 cm H"],"language":["English"],"provenance":"","subject":["Julian, Percy Lavon, 1899-1975","Glidden Company","Chemists","African American chemists","Scientists","Scientists, Black"],"department":"Archives","series_arrangement":[],"rights":"http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC-RUU/1.0/","rights_holder":"","digitization_funder":"","file_creator":"Auerbach, Jahna","description":"Sepia-toned photograph of Percy Lavon Julian (1899-1975) at his desk, signing a job application for the Glidden Company, dated August 18, 1948. \n\nJulian joined the Glidden Company in 1936, where he supervised the assembly plant. In 1940, he began researching the synthesis of steroids from soybean oil, work that contributed to his pioneering research in cortisone, sex hormones, soybean proteins, and firefighting foam. He remained at Glidden until 1953. Over the course of his career, Julian received more than 130 chemical patents and, in 1973, became the second African American elected to the National Academy of Sciences, following David Blackwell (1919–2010).","description_html":"<p>Sepia-toned photograph of Percy Lavon Julian (1899-1975) at his desk, signing a job application for the Glidden Company, dated August 18, 1948. </p>\n\n<p>Julian joined the Glidden Company in 1936, where he supervised the assembly plant. In 1940, he began researching the synthesis of steroids from soybean oil, work that contributed to his pioneering research in cortisone, sex hormones, soybean proteins, and firefighting foam. He remained at Glidden until 1953. Over the course of his career, Julian received more than 130 chemical patents and, in 1973, became the second African American elected to the National Academy of Sciences, following David Blackwell (1919–2010).</p>","published_at":"2026-08-10T13:38:01Z","updated_at":"2026-08-10T13:38:01Z","creator":[],"date_of_work":[{"start":"1948-08-18","start_qualifier":"","finish":"","finish_qualifier":"","note":"","formatted":"1948-Aug-18"}],"place":[{"category":"place_of_creation","value":"Illinois--Chicago"}],"inscription":[],"related_link":[],"additional_credit":[],"physical_container":null}