Lawrence H. Knox


Lawrence Howland Knox was among the first African Americans to receive a PhD in chemistry, following his brother William Jacob Knox. He worked with Paul Doughty Bartlett on an experiment for testing organic mechanisms in chemistry which involved the use of the molecule bicycloheptane, a type of bicyclic molecule. Knox was the grandson of a slave.
He was born in New Bedford, Massachusetts, lived for an extended period in Mexico, and died of carbon monoxide poisoning at Colegio Vista Hermosa, Mexico City.

Education

Knox received a Bachelor of Science degree from Bates College in 1928. While at Bates Knox was an honor student in science, a member of the Jordan Scientific Society and lettered in football as a right halfback. He attended Standford University for his Masters degree in 1931 and Harvard University for his Ph.D in 1940.

Career

Knox is credited with at least two U.S. Patents, Production of Arecoline accepted on May 2nd, 1950and Photochemical Preparation of Tropilidenes in 1953.
Knox was head of the chemistry department at North Carolina College.