Percy Julian was an intelligent, ambitious young man born in Montgomery, Alabama, in 1899. As an African American in the first part of the 20th century, he experienced racism throughout his life.

When Percy was a child, black Americans in the South rarely went to school after eighth grade. They were expected to go on to work at low-level jobs. But Julian wanted to become a scientist. He studied hard, graduated from high school, and was able to go to college when he was 17.

In this lesson, you will learn about the racism Percy Julian experienced, how he persevered in spite of it, and how it shaped his character—his way of thinking and acting.