'In Search of Genius Foundation' Salutes Percy Julian '20

January 27, 2007

Visit Special Percy Julian Web Page

January 27, 2007, Greencastle, Ind. - "It's an exciting story; it's an important story to the larger community, but definitely an even more important story to the African-American community," says Gerry Walanka, founder of the In Search of Genius Foundation, of the upcoming NOVA special on Percy Julian '20. Walanka tells the Chicago Defender, "When I began immersing myself in Dr. Julian's story and how this man, in spite of discrimination persevered to bring his gifts into the world, the connection I made was how important it would be to bring this story and all that it represents to minority children with dreams."

The In Search of Genius Foundation held a special screening of the two hour program, "Forgotten Genius," at the Chicago Theatre last night. The foundation "will use corporate sponsorship to reintroduce Chicago Public School students to the science field and provide paid scholarships," notes the article. Neal B. Abraham, executive vice president of DePauw University, serves on the foundation's board of directors.

The NOVA program, which airs nationally on PBS February 6, documents the pioneering contributions to science that Dr. Julian made -- some resulting from work he conducted at DePauw -- as well as the hurdles he had to clear as an African-American researcher.

"Julian was the man who founded cortisone and never got his credit for it," Walanka tells the newspaper. "To me, this is about wanting to live in a world where the playing field is level, and if the kids got the stuff, no matter what their color, they have a place to go with it."

Access the article by clicking here. Read another recent story here.

You can view an extended clip of the PBS program and learn more about Dr. Julian's DePauw experiences through text, photos, audio and video available at this special Web page.

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