Career Milestones
Breaking into industry (1936)
His success with physostigmine led directly to Julian landing the position of
director of research at Chicago's Glidden Company, a stunning achievement given
that most black chemists were all but entirely blocked from industry during the
1930s. In his 17 years at Glidden, Julian would obtain over 100 patents, thanks
mostly to the versatile soybean plant. Using this so-called "miracle bean," he
developed dozens of products, from water-based paints to paper coating to
protein-rich foods, soon generating millions in revenue for the company.