LIS 775 Lisa Roberts

Transcription

1 LIS 775 Lisa Roberts

2 Reference Assignment My assignment was to locate a not so well known person who was involved in the development of the Atomic Bomb that was dropped on Hiroshima, Japan on August 6, 1945.

3 The Manhattan Project Brief History: The Manhattan Project was the project to develop the first nuclear weapon (atomic bomb) during World War II by the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada. The scientific research was directed by American physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer. Why?

4 Manhattan Project With Otto Hahn, a German Physicist being the first to successful split an Atom, and Germans Hitler s New Order taking place, the race to create the first Atomic bomb began with the Secret making of this project that started as The Manhattan Project.

5 My Findings My findings were pretty complex; However, I was enlightened by an article entitled Unknown The Manhattan Project, written by a woman named Latti Ice Ganga Ganga of PHAET. Article was posted on a site called: -a forum About them:

6 Article Detailed The article detailed several African American Scientist that were involved in the development of the Atomic Bomb. Based on my research, I was only able to locate the bare minimum if any information at all about these scientist. However, The Chicago Defender, Ebony and Jet Magazine specifically reference a scientist by the name of Dr. Lloyd Albert Quarterman.

7 Who was Dr. Lloyd Albert Dr. Lloyd A Quarterman was An African American Chemist Scientist. He was born May 31, 1918, in Philadelphia, PA. He received his B.S., from St. Augustine s College in 1943 and his Masters from Northwestern University, in Quarterman?

8 Unknown Scientist of the A-Bomb He is a scientist that is rarely mentioned in the histories of that research Contemporary Biography V. 4 pg. 199

9 The Chemist, Researcher Worked under the direction of Enrico Fermi. (background) He worked at both Columbia University laboratory in New York City and The Hidden University of Chicago facility. He was predominantly involved in the gaseous diffusion method of obtaining fissionable materials.

10 Laboratories Columbia University New York City University of Chicago Stagg Field

11 Gaseous Diffusion Quarterman was predominantly involved in the experiments that led to what author Stephane Groueff has described the gaseous diffusion method of obtaining fissionable materials.

12 Sworn to Secrecy Because of the nature of this assignment, each of the scientists was sworn to secret at that time. What his exact duties were, no biographer or interviewer has ever documented.

13 More than a Scientist He was a hero, as well as other black scientist. He demonstrated competence and high intelligence, the African American community felt that equality and civil rights were on the rise. During a time when Brown vs Board was not established yet, Dr. Quarterman worked on a prestigious project where he performed the same jobs as his whites colleagues. During this time, blacks saw this as progress

14 more than an Atomic Bomb Celebration of Achievement Hopes of equality Patriotism Hopes of respect Major involvement of development

15 Political Significance Trying to Gain Civil Rights No Political Rights No Social Rights Not Allowed to live in Hyde Park in Chicago, yet he worked in HP Trying to Gain Equality Brown vs Board Black Soldiers not respected Restricted to small strips of land

16 Ebony Archives 1949

17 ~Quarterman~ 1949 ~Ebony Archives~

18 Other African American Atom Scientist Dr. Lloyd Albert Quarterman Dr. Robert Omohundro Dr. Edward A Russell Dr. Moddie Taylor Dr. Harold Delaney Dr. Benjamin Scott Dr. J. Earnest Wilkins Dr. Jasper Jefferies Dr. Ralph Gardner-Chavis Dr. George Dewitt Turner Dr. Cecil Goldsburg White Dr. Sydney Oliver Thompson Dr. Jacob Knox Dr. George Warren Reid Jr.

19 U of C Argonne Lab Scientist Phillip A Sellars, Herschel Wallace Ella Tyree, Blanche Lawrence, Harold B Evans & Sylvanus A Tyler

20 Quarterman at a Glance He was a student Athlete (Football) He was on a team that made the first nuclear powered submarine. He initiated the research on synthetic blood, but wasn t allowed to complete it, it possibly would have been one of his major medical accomplishments. After the end of WWII, he stayed with the U of C for 30 years. He died at Billings Hospital in Chicago after a long paralyzing ill, he donated his body to science.

21 Accomplishments Society of Applied Spectroscopy (national officer) Scientific Research Society of America American Chemical Society American Association for the Advancement of Science National Association for the Advancement of Colored People Society of Sigma Chi Honorary Doctorate of Science from St. Augustine s College 1971

22 Awards Received an honorary doctorate of science in chemistry by his alma mater in After he succeeded with the first discovery trial of the diamond window in Certificate of Recognition, U.S. War Department, 1945.

23 Contributions Listed Initiated research on a medical possibility known as synthetic blood (political and social reasons he was unable to finish research, he was very disappointed) Fluoride Chemist and Nuclear Chemist Spectroscopist~ studying the interaction between matter and radiation Developed a unique corrosion resistant window (1967) He maintained a commitment to the African American community by devoting his time talking with black students in the CPS. (refer to the Proquest database on

24 Other Facts Board of review member of the Dukes Club in Chicago-One of the oldest social clubs in the city. (refer to ProQuest on CPL) Black Tax War Chest -( Refer to ProQuest) Illini Group Hears Chemist-he co wrote many scientific papers (Refer to ProQuest) Author, co-author of many professional papers in his field of specialization Fought for social justice (ProQuest) IIT- affiliate (ProQuest)

25 Limited Sources The Woodson Regional Library Repository- 2 nd largest in the nation. Vivian G Harsh Research Collection- Gales Contemporary Black Biography v.4 - (photo copy) African Americans in Science, Math, and Invention. BHP- Black History Pages Ebony, September Microfilm (copies) Jet, August 9, Microfilm (copies) Scientists Data Bank

26 Sources from his Biographies Groueff, Stephane, The Manhattan Project, The Untold Story of the Making of the Atomic Bomb, Little Brown and Co., 1967.

27 Other Bibliographic Sources

28 ~JET 1982 Obituary~

29 Other Significant Sources Proquest carries historical newspapers: The Chicago Defender Archives from has articles about Dr. Quarterman. (This can be found on the website) defender/index?accountid=303 The Washington Afro-American ( Atomic Bomb article)

30 Affluent Repositories I contacted these repositories, very minimum or no papers/manuscripts were found or mentioned Woodson Regional Library-Vivian G. Harsh Research Collection (No) University of Chicago Library (Yes) The Special Collections Research U of C Archives) St. Augustine s College in Raleigh (No) Columbia University in New York City (No) The Rare Book & Manuscript Columbia University (No)

31 NARA- National Archives The Smithsonian PBS Wilson Center Digital Archives. Atomic Archives Over 30 EBSCO databases Rebecca Crown Library ArchiveGrid Dead End Repositories/Sources/Links

32 more dead end Repositories/Sources/Links Archive Finder The National Security Archives Library of Congress Nuclear Files African American Registry The History Makers WorldCat Scientific Journal

33 Recently Added University of Chicago Special Collections and Rare Book Collection Librarian was able to locate two reports coauthored by L. A. Quarterman in the general library catalog. Below are the names of these reports with links provided to the catalog entries: (these findings were located in 2014) The heat of reaction of graphite and potassium / by L. Quarterman [and] W. Primak. 10 Oct, (catalog) The hydrolysis of the compound of potassium with irradiated graphite / by W.L. Primak and L.A. Quarterman. 12 Sep, (catalog)