Celebrating the Work and Achievements of Black & African American Chemists During Black History Month

Feb 21, 2025
2 min read

Join us in honoring the innovations of Black & African American chemists, both past and present, with a curated selection of research and resources from the American Chemical Society.

Simple hand drawn symbols background in traditional African colors - black, red, yellow, green. Kwanzaa decorative print

The American Chemical Society (ACS) proudly commemorates Black History Month by acknowledging the significant achievements and pioneering contributions of Black and African American chemists and chemical engineers. Black History Month also gives us the chance to amplify Black chemists who are pioneers in their field, helping to change the world with their innovative work in chemical sciences.

ACS Black History Month Celebration: Trailblazers & Pathways

Join us in Washington, D.C. on February 26, 2025 for an inspiring afternoon as ACS President Dr. Dorothy Phillips invites you to honor the achievements and contributions of Black chemists and scientists in the chemical enterprise. The event will include a fireside chat with guests from various industries and partner organizations sharing their journeys and successes in chemistry and beyond. This free event is open to undergraduate and graduate students pursuing careers in chemistry and chemical sciences.

Learn More and Register Here

Articles and eBook Highlights

Alice Ball: An African-American Woman to Foster Education in Chemistry
Stephanie Silva Weigel Gomes and Wilmo Ernesto Francisco Junior*
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jchemed.4c00611

Interview with Professor Amanda Bryant-Friedrich, 2024 Founders Award Winner, American Chemical Society Division of Chemical Toxicology
Andrea Andress Huacachino
DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrestox.4c00360

Developing Equitable Lab Practices/Culture: A Student-Centered Activity on Alcohol Metabolism and Its Relation to the Black Community
Dillon King, Rowan R. Katzbaer, Ufana Riaz, S. Catherine Silver Key, and Darlene K. Taylor*
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jchemed.4c00346

Perspectives of Three African American Chemists: Reflections on Careers, Experiences, and the Future
Isiah M. Warner*, Willie E. May*, and James W. Mitchell*
DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.2c01905

NERM 2023 Symposium: Advancing Inclusive Communities through Collaboration
Shelita Renee Hall, Penny Beuning, Subha R. Das, Michelle Gaines, Murrell Godfrey, Kimberly M. Jackson, and Tyrslai Williams-Carter*
In Professional Mentoring Programs for Science Students: Career Mentoring for Students in the Physical Sciences.
ACS Symposium Series, Vol. 1470, Chapter 14, pp 185-196.
DOI: 10.1021/bk-2024-1470.ch014

Enhancing Career Development Awareness Among the Chemistry Undergraduate Students at the Xavier University of Louisiana: Our Resources and Strategies
Abha Verma*, Navneet Goyal, Tracey Jackson, Galina Goloverda, and Teresa Birdwhistell
In Professional Mentoring Programs for Science Students: Career Mentoring for Students in the Physical Sciences.
ACS Symposium Series, Vol. 1470, Chapter 8, pp 99-114.
DOI: 10.1021/bk-2024-1470.ch008

Collections and Special Issues

Honoring the Legacy of Dr. Bettye Washington Greene

This Virtual Special Issue from Langmuir honors the scientific contributions and legacy of Dr. Bettye Washington Greene, one of the first African American women to earn a Ph.D. in chemistry in the United States and to pave the way for generations of scientists, particularly women and scientists of color, to excel in this discipline.

Spotlight on the Work of John E. Hodge

John Edward Hodge was an African-American chemist best known for establishing the mechanisms in the Maillard reaction pathway. The reaction was discovered by Maillard in 1912, and Hodge published the definitive article on the mechanisms in one of the earliest issues of Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry in 1953. Named a “Citation Classic” by the Science Citation Index, the article has garnered over 1600 citations and remains one of the journal’s most cited publications.

Explore more of John E. Hodge's work across ACS Publications.

Accounts of Chemical Research Journal Cover

Research at HBCUs

This special issue of Accounts of Chemical Research, guest-edited by Michael Curry (Tuskegee University), Carl Bonner (Norfolk State University), and Desmond Stubbs (Oak Ridge Associated Universities), is designed to showcase research and innovation capabilities of the nation’s historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs).

A Call for Diversity Story Guest Editorials

The Journal of Medicinal Chemistry is inviting guest editorials detailing stories of diversity from medicinal chemists and drug discovery scientists across all sectors (industry, academia, government, and not-for-profit). Learn more in this Editorial by Editor-in-Chief Craig W. Lindsley.

ACS Publications Diversity and Inclusion Cover Art Gallery

ACS Publications Diversity and Inclusion Cover Art Gallery

We are excited to share an online gallery below to showcase the beautiful front covers in the series and highlight the extraordinary chemists behind them. Learn more about each featured cover and artist in the accompanying editorials.