Percy Lavon Julian

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Rodney Lawrence Hurst, Sr. Stamp Collection Rodney Lawrence Hurst, Sr. Papers

1-29-1993

Black Heritage Stamp Series: Percy Lavon Julian

United States Postal Service. Stamp Division

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Recommended Citation Black Heritage Stamp Series: Percy Lavon Julian. 1993. Rodney Lawrence Hurst, Sr. Papers. University of North Florida. Thomas G. Carpenter Library. Special Collections and Archives. UNF Digital Commons. https://digitalcommons.unf.edu/hurst_stamps/18

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Issue Date: January 29, 1993 Colors: Yellow, magenta, cyan, black, brown (PMS 175), yellow (PMS 143), and black intaglio First Day City: Chicago, Illinois Overall Size: 0.99 x 0.56 inches or Designer: Higgins Bond 25.15 x 39.62 millimeters Typographer: John Boyd Format: Sheet of 50 Project Manager: Jack Williams, Stamp Design, USPS Plate Numbers: Six process and one intaglio Manufacturing Process: Offset/Intaglio Marginal Markings: ©U.S. Postal Service 1992, Use Correct ZIP Code® Percy Lavon Julian Commemorative Stamp

Percy Lavon Julian (1899-1975) was a distinguished scientist and chemical researcher. In 1990, Dr. Julian was inducted into the prestigious National Inventors Hall of Fame. In 1973, Dr. Percy Lavon Julian was elected to the National Academy of Sciences, an unusual ac colade for an individual researcher. But that vote of appreciation-like the 14 honorary degrees he was awarded-testified to Dr. Julian's outstanding accomplishments as an organic chemist. This latest stamp in the Black Heritage series shows two views of Dr. Julian: a portrait and a picture of the scientist, wearing a lab coat, with two beakers. His countless hours in the laboratory enabled him to produce numerous drugs that have advanced medical research and treatment. Among his achievements was the development of a drug called Compound S. Created out of soybeans, it is a synthetic cortisone for treating rheumatoid arthritis and other ailments. Another soybean derived product became part of a firefighting solution widely used by the U.S. Navy in World War II. The scientist received his master's degree from Harvard and his doctorate from the University of Vien na. For 17 years, he was a researcher at the Glidden Co. of Chicago. In 1953, he established Julian Laboratories, Inc., an international group of pharmaceutical companies.

FIRST DAY OF ISSUE

Rodney Lawrence Hurst Sr. Papers

Souvenir Page© 1993 U.S. Postal Service Thomas G Carpenter Library 93-03 Special Collections AMERICAN COMMEMORATIVES UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE PfftC'll lftVOD JUllftD Percy Lavon Julian, a pioneer in research chemistry, is the sixteenth distinguished African American to be portrayed on the Black Heritage stamp series. Born on April 11, 1899 in Alabama, Julian attended DePaul University in Greencastle, Indiana. He graduated Phi Beta Kappa and was chosen as Valedictorian of his class. For several years Julian taught at Fisk and Howard Universities, as well as at West Virginia State College. He returned to school and graduated from Harvard in 1923 with a Master's degree and continued his accelerating education at the University of Vienna gradu ating with a PhD in 1931. In 1935, during his research, Julian formulated a method to synthesize the drug physostigmine, which is used today in the treatment of glauco ma, the chief cause of blindness in the United States. Julian was asked to head the soybean research department of the Glid dens Company and later formed his own company, Julian Laboratories, in order to specialize in the production of sterols, which he extracted from the oil of the soybean. The method, perfected by Dr. Julian in 1950, even tually lowered the cost of sterols and ultimately enabled millions of peo ple suffering from arthritis to obtain relief through the use of cortisone, a sterol drivative. The recipient of both the Chicagoan of the Year Award in 1950 and the Chemical Pioneer Award in 1968, Dr. Julian was posthumously inducted into the prestigious National Inventors Hall of Fame in 1990. His exten sive participation in the community went well beyond the scientific com munity and included active memberships in the National Conference of Christians and Jews, and the Chicago Urban League as well as the Com monwealth Edison Environmental Advisory Council. In honor of Julian's work in chemical research, the Chemistry and Mathematics building at DePaul University is named for him. The stamp, commemorating Dr. Julian's research achievements, was designed by Higgans Bond of Teaneck, New Jersey, who also designed the W.E.B. DuBois (1992) and Jan Matzeliger (1991) Black Heritage stamps. The Julian stamp was issued on January 29, 1993 in Chicago, Illinois. Rodney Lawrence Hurst Sr. Papers Thomas G Carpenter Library Stamps printed by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. Washington. D.C. No. 408 In a series

Copyright 1993 United States Postal Service Special CollectionsJanuary 29.1993/Prlnted in U.S.A. I -··-·--······· .. ······ .. ·····--··-·····················································~······················································--·------·---- ·------·------· . . I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I

_ Percy Lavon Julian : His synthesis of cortisone : In 1990, Dr.Julian © United States Use Correct I I I I Postal Service • (1899-1975) was a _ for arthritis, a drug for • wasRodney inducted into the Lawrence Hurst Sr. Papers ZIP Code ® I - distinguished scientist .. glaucoma and synthesis of .. prestigious National 1992 - and chemical researcher. : progesterone won acclaim. • Inventors HallThomas of Fame. • G Carpenter Library ~ Special Collections . ... ~ UNITEOSTATES -POST,t..LSUVICE Rodney Lawrence Hurst Sr. Papers Cover Photo.· Courtesy of Percy L.ju/ian Family. Thomas G Carpenter Library ©1993 US. Postal Service. All r(ghts reserved. Special Collections Presiding Jimmie Mason Chicago District Manager u .S. Postal Service

National Anthem Roger Scanlan Chair of Voice Department Roosevelt University/Chicago Musical College

Welcome Dr. Theodore L. Gross FIRST DAY OF ISSUE President Roosevelt University

Introduction of Jimmie Mason Distinguished Guests B orn April 11, 1899, in Montgomery, Dedication of Stamp Veronica 0. Collazo Alabama, Percy L. Julian is best known for Vice President his achievements in chemistry, producing U.S. Postal Service chemicals in the laboratory previously only available from nature. His work with chemicals Musical Interlude Percy Julian High School Mixed Chorus used to make sex hormones led to improved Choral Director: Lois B. Moore treatment for some forms of cancer and pregnancy disorders. These and other chemicals Remarks Dr. Rolf A. Weil Dr. Julian produced in the laboratory, including President Emeritus cortisone, which relieves arthritis pain, became Roosevelt University less expensive to manufacture and more widely available through his research. Percy L.Julian,Jr. The latest addition to the Black Heritage Series, the Percy Lavon Julian stamp, was Presentation of Albums Veronica 0. Collazo designed by Higgins Bond of Teaneck, New Jersey. Honored Guests Dr. Annaj.Julian

Faith Julian

Rodney Lawrence Hurst Sr. Papers Thomas G Carpenter Library Special Collections