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The Black Scientists of the Manhattan Project
The Manhattan Project was a secret U.S. government program during World War II aimed at developing the world’s first atomic bombs. It involved thousands of scientists, engineers, and workers who raced to build these powerful weapons before Germany could. The project took place across several major research sites, including Los Alamos, Oak Ridge, and the University of Chicago. It became one of the largest and most urgent scientific efforts in history.
Among the people working on the project were several Black scientists and technicians who made important contributions to fields like physics, chemistry, and engineering. However, they faced significant challenges, including racial segregation and discrimination. They were often separated from white scientists, paid less, and denied recognition for their achievements. Despite these barriers, they made essential contributions that helped the project succeed. This post highlights the stories of Black scientists like J. Ernest Wilkins Jr. and Moddie Taylor, whose hard work and resilience played a vital role in one of history’s most significant scientific efforts.
J. Ernest Wilkins Jr.
At just 19 years old, J. Ernest Wilkins Jr. earned his Ph.D. in mathematics from the University of Chicago. After graduating, he began teaching at the Tuskegee Institute and, in 1944, joined the team of scientists at the University of Chicago Metallurgical Laboratory (commonly known as the Met Lab). There, he conducted research on the production of nuclear materials alongside notable scientists such as Arthur Compton and Enrico Fermi, unknowingly contributing to the development of the atomic bomb.
Despite facing discrimination and job loss due to Jim Crow laws, he ultimately conducted groundbreaking research on nuclear reactors.
Learn more about J. Ernest Wilkins Jr.
Harold B. Evans
Equipped with a Master’s degree in science, Harold B. Evans was recruited by the US government to join Kankakee Ordnance Works, an Illinois ammunition and explosive production facility, in 1936, where he worked in a variety of positions as a chemist. Two years after the U.S. officially entered World War II, he joined the University of Chicago Met Lab as an associate chemist. There, he was part of a 400-man team to develop the first atomic bomb. After the war, Evans continued to research the chemical reactions of radioactive elements.
Learn more about Harold B. Evans.
Ralph Gardner-Chavis
Ralph Gardner-Chavis earned his Bachelor’s degree in chemistry a year after the US joined World War II and worked as a research assistant on the Manhattan Project, focusing on the classified plutonium research that was crucial to developing the “Fat Man” implosion bomb.
After the war, Gardner-Chavis struggled to find a job as a chemist. Even with his years of experience and his research that went into the atomic bomb, he worked as a waiter for two years. Eventually, Gardner-Chavis earned both his Master’s and Ph.D. degrees and became a leader in the teaching and research fields.
Learn more about Ralph Gardner-Chavis.
Cynthia Hall
Cynthia Hall was one of the world’s leading experts in poison and its effects on the human body, earning her a position as a Manhattan Project scientist. One of the very few African American women working on the project, she researched potential solutions to radiation poisoning and was a member of the Chemical Engineering Division analytical group.
She received a feature at the age of 26 for her work and has recently been recognized by the Science History Institute and the National Museum of Nuclear Science & History for her contributions to nuclear science.
Learn more about Cynthia Hall.
Lawrence and William Knox
Brothers Lawrence and William Knox followed the family tradition of pursuing education, which started with their grandfather, Elijah Knox, who was born into slavery in North Carolina. Both brothers earned a PhD. in chemistry (together, they were two out of only 30 African Americans to receive a PhD. degree in chemistry in a 25-year period), but struggled to find jobs outside of teaching at Historically Black College and University (HBCU).
William joined the Manhattan Project in 1943 to work on corrosive uranium for the atomic bomb, and Lawrence joined
a different project a year later to research malaria prevention. After the war, both brothers had successful careers in chemistry but still had to fight to overcome the racism in their community.
Learn more about Lawrence and William Knox.
Carolyn Parker
Carolyn Parker was a public school teacher in Florida before becoming the first known African-American woman to earn a Master’s degree in physics. In her twenties, she was recruited to work on the Dayton Project, a top-secret division of the Manhattan Project, where she worked with extremely radioactive materials to create the chemical initiator for the atomic bombs. Parker and her team achieved immense success on their project, and after the war, she earned a second Master’s degree in physics from MIT in 1951- where she was also the first African-American to earn a postgraduate physics degree from MIT. She finished her coursework for a Ph.D. shortly after.
Unfortunately, due to the radiation she endured during her research for the Manhattan Project, Parker passed away from leukemia in 1966 before she could defend her thesis for her Ph.D..
Learn more about Carolyn Parker.
Lloyd Quarterman
Lloyd Quarterman was passionate about chemistry since childhood, so bringing that enthusiasm for STEM to college was a no-brainer. When he wasn’t studying in the lab, he was a star football player for St. Augustine’s College in North Carolina. Soon, both of those interests would collide when he was recruited for the Manhattan Project shortly after graduation and went to work at the University of Chicago– where their lab was hidden under their football stadium.
He worked as a junior chemist on the team responsible for isolating uranium. After the war, he earned a master of science and worked in the same lab (which eventually moved above ground), for the next 30 years.
Learn more about Lloyd Quarterman.
Edwin R. Russell
Equipped with two degrees, Edwin Russell was a chemistry professor at Howard University for six years before choosing to pursue a Ph.D. in surface chemistry from the University of Chicago. In 1942, right when he arrived, the university became home to the top-secret research for the Manhattan Project, prompting Russell to work in their Met Lab for the next five years.
He was a leader on the team that produced the energy for the atomic bombs, fighting against racism and segregation. Over his career, he earned 11 patents while researching atomic energy processes and was a trailblazer in nuclear energy.
Learn more about Edwin R. Russell.
Moddie Taylor
Moddie Taylor graduated first of his class from Lincoln University in 1935. After earning his Ph.D. from the University of Chicago a few years later, he planned to return to Lincoln as a professor– until he was recruited to work as an associate chemist on the Manhattan Project.
After the war, Taylor won multiple awards and acknowledgments for his contributions. He had a long career in education and worked to end racism in science.
Learn more about Moddie Taylor.
Read about more of the Black scientists of the Manhattan Project here.