Percy Julian had already demonstrated the ability. The question was whether demonstrated excellence would be rewarded equally.
Julian graduated first in his class at DePauw, earned a master's degree at Harvard and a doctorate in Vienna. In 1935, Julian and Josef Pikl achieved a landmark synthesis of physostigmine, a compound used in the treatment of glaucoma.
His chemistry colleagues wanted him appointed to DePauw's faculty. The university did not make the appointment. Decades later, DePauw's own 2021 resolution said it believed the refusal reflected an unwillingness to appoint an African American faculty member.
In 2021 DePauw appointed Julian to its faculty posthumously, 46 years after his death.
They could correct the record. They could not give him back the opportunity.
Why this series exists
What If I Was Born White? examines documented moments when Black excellence met a racial barrier. The title asks a question. The reporting establishes what can actually be documented. Each episode separates evidence from inference and lets the record speak.