To honor the work of Black & African American chemists, both past and present, we present a curated selection of research and resources from the American Chemical Society.
ACS is proud to celebrate Black History Month by recognizing the achievements and groundbreaking contributions of Black & African American chemists & chemical engineers. Black History Month also gives us the chance to amplify Black chemists who are the pioneers of today, helping to change the world with their innovative work in chemical sciences.
To honor the work of Black & African American chemists, both past and present, here is a selection of research and resources from the American Chemical Society.
Research in ACS Journals
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.
Explore more of John E. Hodge's work across ACS Publications.
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 (JMC) 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.
Articles from Chemical & Engineering News
C&EN’s 2021 Trailblazers Issue
Career Ladder: Dontarie Stallings
COVID-19 put hand sanitizer—and Purell lead formulator Kayla Ivey—in the spotlight
Comment: Fostering a diverse and inclusive American Chemical Society
Chemist Valerie Sheares Ashby has spent 30 years working to achieve inclusive excellence
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.
More Black History Month Resources From ACS
ACS Honors African Americans in the Chemical Sciences
National Historic Chemical Landmark: St. Elmo Brady
National Historic Chemical Landmark: Norbert Rillieux and the Multiple Effect Evaporator
National Historic Chemical Landmark: Percy L. Julian and the Synthesis of Physostigmine
Spotlighting Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers [Video]
Mentoring the Next Generation of Black Chemists [Video]
