User:VictoriaCignotti/Lawrence H. Knox

Lawrence Howland Knox (September 30, 1906 – January 6, 1966) was born in New Bedford, Massachusetts and died of carbon monoxide poisoning at Colegio Vista Hermosa, Mexico City. He was among the first African-Americans to receive a PhD in chemistry, following his eldest brother William Jacob Knox (1904–1995). He worked with Paul Doughty Bartlett on an experiment for testing organic mechanisms in chemistry which involved the use of the molecule bicyclo(2.2.1)heptane, a type of bicyclic molecule. Additionally, Lawrence made significant contributions such as publishing papers about aromatic hydrocarbon molecules and proved Erick Hückel's theory about aromatic hydrocarbons correct.

Family
In the 1820's Elijah Knox -grandfather of Lawrence- was born in North Carolina to a slave family. Through hard-work and determination he became an expert carpenter then bought his freedom in 1846. He travelled North and settled in New Bedford, Massachusetts. Elijah's son -William Jacob- established an important precedent for future generations of upward mobility through education. William received the highest score on the New Bedford civil-service exam in 1903 and then acquired a position at the post-office in 1905. He eventually married Estella and the two had 5 children; two daughters and three sons (William, Lawrence, and Clinton).

Education
In 1928, Knox received a Bachelors of Science degree in chemistry at Bates College. Throughout his attendance at Bates College he participated in numerous extracurriculars; member of the Jordan Scientific Society and lettered football as a right halfback. He experienced little discrimination during his attendance at Bates College. In 1930, Lawrence started at Stanford University and after one year he received a Masters of Science degree. Knox continued his education at Harvard University and received his Doctorate in organic chemistry in 1940. His dissertation was titled "[Bicyclic structures prohibiting the Walden inversion. Replacement reactions in 1-substituted 1-apocamphanes]".