PBS to air special on Dr. Percy Lavon Julian

As part of Black History Month, PBS will air a NOVA special, "Forgotten Genius", on the life of Dr. Percy Lavon Julian tonight, Feb.6. Check your local listings for the time.

Julian is best known for his achievements in chemistry, producing chemicals in the laboratory previously only available from nature. His work with chemicals used to make sex hormones led to improved treatment for some forms of cancer and pregnancy disorders. These and other chemicals Dr. Julian produced in the laboratory, including cortisone, which relieves arthritis pain, became less expensive to manufacture and more widely available through his research.

Julian was honored on a U.S. Black Heritage stamp (shown above) in 1993. For others in the series, click here.

For more on Dr. Julian and the show, click here.