Emmett Chappelle

African Americans have made many inventions throughout time. Most times they are recognized, but not enough. We as black people have made such things as the hot comb, toaster, tape recorders and much more. The only time that people really take consideration and recognition for the inventions being made, is Black History Month. In order for you to have a future, you have to know your past. You must also help young children to know these things as well.
Emmett Chappelle who is still alive and is known as a science and researcher and he made contributions in several fields. The several fields are medicine, biology, food science, and astrochemistry. He was born in Phoenix, Arizona in 1925 and lived on a small farm with no electricity until he was twelve. Emmett attended a one-room school for several years, but he graduated from a segregated high school that was part of the Phoenix, Arizona district. He was the bottom graduate in his 25-student senior class.
In 1942, Chappelle became part of the army and was assigned to a special unit that involved engineering. While taking part in this he was wounded in action twice, and in 1946, attended Phoenix College and studied electrical engineering. In 1950 Emmett Chappelle graduated with a degree in Biology. Four years later Chappelle earned a master’s degree at University of Washington, Seattle. He studied and worked as a research associate at Stanford University in California.
From 1950 until 1953, he served as an instructor of biochemistry at Meharry Medical college in Nashville, Tennessee. Then from 1955 until 1959 he was an research associate at Stanford University. Going back to 1958 Chappelle joined the advanced studies in Baltimore, which was famous for designing airplanes and spacecrafts. While being a part of this institute Chappelle discovered that one-celled plants like algae, can be transported easily, and can convert carbon dioxide to oxygen. With this discovery in mind, this led to create a safe oxygen supply for astronauts. In 1963, Emmett Chappelle went to work at Hazelton laboratories as a biochemist. After a couple of years in 1966, he joined the national Aeronautics and Space Administration as a research chemist. In 2001 Chappelle retired from the NASA.
Some of Emmet Chappelle ‘s creative work and talents was in the fields of Luminescene, which is light without heat. While designing instruments for Mars and Viking spacecraft, he became interested in bioluminescence. Bioluminescence is warm light which is produced by living organisms. Chappelle used two chemicals from fireflies which give off light when mixed with ATP. This could provide a method of detecting life on Mars. He proved a theory that the number of bacteria in drinking water can be measured by the amount of light given off by that bacteria. Lastly, he also showed how satellites can monitor crops. Emmett Chappelle received 14 U.S. patents and honored as one of the most distinguished African Americans scientist and engineers in the 20th century.
Chappelle is a member of the American Chemical Society, the American Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, the American Society of Photobiology, the American Society of Microbiology, and the American Society of Black Chemists. Throughout his career, he has continued to mentor talented minority high school and college students in his laboratories.
In conclusion, Emmett Chappelle has been doing great and is still doing great things throughout his times. He is still continuing to be a great role model to younger people. Emmett has started from having hardly anything to becoming famous and inventing what others would not think of. Everything big starts little and it just takes time to prosper and be known.