Percy Julian's home firebombed in Oak Park, Illinois

When Percy Julian moved his family into an all-white neighborhood in Oak Park, Illinois — making him one of the first Black residents of that Chicago suburb — his home was firebombed and dynamited. Despite world renown as a chemist holding over 130 patents, Julian faced violent racial terrorism at home. His family remained in Oak Park and he became an outspoken advocate for civil rights alongside his scientific career.