Black Apollo of Science

This biography illuminates the racial attitudes of an elite group of American scientists and foundation officers. It is the story of a complex and unhappy man. It blends social, institutional, black, and political history with the history of science.


A superior distinguished work...unique in its contribution to American cultural history, black history, and the history of science.--Edward Lurie, University of Delaware

Among the finest biographies I have ever read. Manning's book wins my highest praise....It is so well written and meticulously researched...it is a pleasure to read.--Stephen Jay Gould, The New York Review of Books

A unique contribution to not only Black history, but also to American history and to the history of science.--The Black Collegian

Manning has created a remarkable portrait of a remarkable scientist....A brilliantly sympathetic but skillfully tempered biography....Blends social, institutional, black, and political history with the history of science. Impressively, Manning succeeds with each of these separate threads and manages to weave them together into a vibrant fabric.--Science

In this sensitive biography, Manning conveys the outrage and absurdity of racism with a measured restraint that is much more powerful than if he had indulged in the diatribes to which his material could easily lend itself....People, settings, atmosphere...are beautifully evoked in a book that makes a major contribution to understanding the forces that obstructed and warped Just's career.--American Scientist