THE VAST WONDER OF THE WORLD
Biologist Ernest Everett Just
By Melina Mangal
Contrary to perceptions, the presence of African Americans has been in every field, including science. This has not been a recent phenomenon—Black History Month has shown us that, thereby changing the perceptions and teaching our children our legacy. Such is the case with Melina Mangal’s children’s book, The Vast Wonder of the World: Biologist Ernest Everett Just.
Born in 1883 in Charleston, South Carolina, Just’s interest in the world of water developed at an early age. He faced the realities of life for African Americans—his father dying when he was four, surviving typhoid fever, experiencing hurricanes and the fire that destroyed the school his mother built, and on top of that, the Jim Crow segregation laws pervading the South. In spite of these challenges, he never stopped observing nature.
Continuing his education up North, his calling came into clarity; the study of cells. As such, he became a biology professor at Howard University. His work made breakthroughs through teaching observation of living things in their natural environment. Ultimately, his research garnered him the NAACP Spingarn Medal for achievement.
His ideas and research on cells were warmly received and respected by scientists around the world. Sadly, that wasn’t the case in the U.S., and he eventually moved to Europe to become an independent researcher.
At the end of the day, Just’s work as a biologist paved the way for such studies as today’s stem cell research, and it all began with a child’s interest in the world of water and cells. In his words, “Environment and organism are one; neither can be separated from the other.” Another quote of his is a telling and ironic commentary whenever he came from Europe to the U.S.: upon seeing the Statue of Liberty he said, “This is where my liberty ends.”
Mangal delivers an insightful book that combines history and the wonder of what comes from the discovery of a child. Her author notes on Ernest Everett Just are invaluable, providing the context of the personal and world events that took place during Just’s life.
The Vast Wonder of the World is available through Amazon and the Minnesota Black Authors Expo website.
Thank you, Melina, for your work and your research to remind us of the accomplishments of this extraordinary scientist in our history and paying it forward.
W.D. Foster-Graham
W.D. Foster-Graham is a native son of Minneapolis, Minnesota. He received a B.A. in psychology from Luther College, and he was an original member of the multi-Grammy-Award-winning ensemble, Sounds of Blackness. He has also been recognized by the International Society of Poets as one of its “Best New Poets of 2003,” is a guest writer for journalist/author/entertainer Wyatt O’Brian Evans.
