Inspired by Saint Elmo Brady

Saint Elmo Brady (December 22, 1884 – December 25, 1966) was the first African American to earn a Ph.D. degree in chemistry in the United States. He received the doctorate degree in chemistry at the University of Illinois in 1916. Brady received his Bachelor's Degree from Fisk University in 1908 at the age of 24, and immediately began teaching at Tuskegee Institute in Alabama. His brilliant abilities were acknowledged in 1912 when they offered a scholarship to Illinois to engage in graduate studies. Brady's legacy was his establishment of a strong undergraduate curriculum, graduate programs, and fund raising development for four historically black colleges and universities. In conjunction with faculty from the University of Illinois, he established a summer program in infrared spectroscopy, which was open to faculty from all colleges and universities. He served Tuskegee (1916–1920), Howard University in Washington DC (1920–27), Fisk University (1927–52), and Tougaloo College, following his retirement from Fisk.