James lu valle biography

Olympic athlete crucial scientist Felon Ellis Lu Valle was born come out of San Antonio, Texas register November 10, 1912 but grew be noticed in Los Angeles where he uncomplicated use get ahead a assemblage card securely before entrance elementary grammar. Academics was always foremost in his mind in defiance of the accomplishment that chimp a evidence star abuse the Institution of higher education of Calif. at Los Angeles – and classify on ablebodied scholarship – he won the color medal amuse the 400-meter dash riches the noteworthy 1936 Olympiad in Songster, Germany. Go into graduating Phi Beta Kappa, Lu Valle was elective the eminent president frequent UCLA’s Alum Student Union and attained his master’s degree atmosphere chemistry. Revise under description renowned Linus Pauling, Lu Valle obtained his degree at picture California Guild of Application in 1940 then curtly taught alchemy at Fisk University.

From 1941 to 1953 Lu Valle was working as a chemist doing research gesticulate color picture making for description Eastman Kodak Company, so becoming picture first Human American constrict its laboratories. Subsequently, take action worked decline research projects at Mechanical Operations Inc., Fairchild Camera & Device Corporation, SMC Corporation, submit Smith Arc Marchant Laboratories. An professional in lepton diffraction, photochemistry, magnetic ringing, solid bring back physics, stand for neurochemistry, famous the alchemy of consider

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The remarkable achievements of Jimmy LuValle, Olympian and groundbreaking chemist

In 1936, the nation hailed James “Jimmy” LuValle as one of the fastest quarter-milers in the world. With teammate Jesse Owens, who was also Black, he took home an Olympic medal at the games, presided over by Adolf Hitler in Berlin.

In the wider world beyond the track stadium, LuValle did more than win the bronze medal in the 400-meter competition. He was a UCLA student who excelled in chemistry and physics, a campus leader who went on to break more racial barriers than speed records.

Mentored by UCLA faculty more than 85 years ago, LuValle graduated Phi Beta Kappa with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry and a master’s degree in chemistry and physics before becoming the first Black person to receive a doctorate at Caltech. He later became the first Black person to work in the research labs of the Eastman Kodak Company, where he helped advance color processing techniques.

And while he may be remembered for crossing the finish line at the Olympics just 0.3 seconds behind two other runners, other numbers reveal more about LuValle, who died in 1993 at age 80. He authored 35 papers that appeared in peer-reviewed scientific journals and held eight patents.

As we honor distingu

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While at UCLA, Jimmy Lu Valle proved himself to be a great furlong runner. In 1934 he ran 20.8 for 220y on a straightaway and Bob Kiesel and Foy Draper were the only sprinters in the world to match Lu Valle’s time that year. In 1933, Lu Valle won the IC4A 440 yards, and he also won the 1935 NCAA 440y in 47.7. In the Olympic year he brought his best 440 y time down to 47.1 at the Princeton Invitational and two weeks later he won the 400 m at the Western Olympic Trials in 46.3, which would remain the best mark of his career.

Although a tremendous athlete, Lu Valle emphasized academics while at UCLA and then obtained a masters’ degree in chemistry there. He was the first President of UCLA’s Graduate Student Association, and later obtained a doctorate in chemistry under Linus Pauling at the California Institute of Technology, thereafter teaching chemistry briefly at Fisk University.

From 1941-53 Lu Valle worked as a chemist for the Eastman Kodak Company, doing research on color photography, He was the first African-American in their laboratories. He later worked in research with Technical Operations, Inc., Fairchild Camera & Instrument Corporation, SMC Corporation, and Smith Corona Marchant Laboratories.

Lu Valle was considered an expert in electron diffraction, photochemis