African American women chemists / Jeannette E. Brown.

Includes bibliographical references (p. [236]-239) and index.

The reason for this book and why these women were chosen -- Resources for historical background -- Early pioneers. Josephine Silone Yates ; Beebe Steven Lynk ; Alice Augusta Ball ; Eslanda Goode Robeson ; Angie Turner King ; Mary Elliott Hill -- Marie Maynard Daly -- Chemical educators. Johnnie Hines Watts Prothro ; Rubye Prigmore Torrey ; Gladys W. Royal ; Cecile Hoover Edwards ; Allene Johnson ; Mary Antoinette Schiesler ; Gloria Long Anderson ; Linda C. Meade-Tollin ; Lynda Marie Jordon -- Industry and government labs. Esther A.H. Hopkins ; Betty Wright Harris ; Sinah Estelle Kelley ; Katheryn Emanuel Lawson -- From Academia to the board room and science policy. Reatha Clark King ; Margaret Ellen Mayo Tolbert ; Cheryl L. Shavers -- Chemical engineers. Lilia Ann Abron ; Jennie Patrick -- My story. Jeannette Elizabeth Brown -- Next steps.

"Beginning with Dr. Marie Maynard Daly, the first African American woman to receive a PhD in chemistry in the United States--in 1947, from Columbia University--this well researched and fascinating book celebrate the lives and history of African American women chemists. Written by Jeannette Brown, an African American chemist herself, the book profiles the lives of numerous women, ranging from the earliest pioneers up until the late 1960's when the Civil Rights Acts sparked greater career opportunities. Brown examines each woman's motivation to pursue chemistry, describes their struggles to obtain an education and their efforts to succeed in a field in which there were few African American men, much less African American women, and details their often quite significant accomplishments. The book looks at chemists in academia, industry, and government, as well as chemical engineers, whose career path is very different from that of the tradition chemist, and it concludes with a chapter on the future of African American women chemists, which will be of interest to all women interested in a career in science"--