In Oak Park, Illinois, there is a school called Percy Julian Junior High School where everyday about science and chemistry just like the their school was named after. Percy Lavon Julian was born in Montgomery, Alabama on April 11,1899. His grandfather a slave, his father was a , and his mother was a school teacher. Although he loved learning, he was only allowed to go to school in Montgomery until eighth grade because back then in Alabama weren't treated equally. But he a private school called the Normal School for Negroes and went on to DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana. He was one of the first African American students. There he top in his class and was also a member of two honor societies.

Percy Julian wanted to chemistry because it fascinated him. He went on and earned many degrees colleges like Harvard and the University of Vienna. He has also been given 14 degrees for his research. After college, Percy was director of at the Gliddon Company that made paint and varnishes. Since he was such a good chemist, he used soya bean to make "Aerofoam" that was used to put out gas and oil fires during World War II. His mother was a strong force in his life and he thought it was important to a good role model for youth. He was very involved in the Boy Scouts of America for his son and other . He married and had a son and a daughter.

He oil from soy beans and produced a like that was much cheaper than the real thing so that more people could use it. It people with arthritis, glaucoma, and other conditions. He made other drugs, hormones and to earn over 100 patents.

When he of cancer in 1975, he was happy because now black students could go college and be or what ever they wanted to be!