Dr. Harold Amos (September 7, 1918 – February 26, 2003) was a microbiologist and molecular biologist who would become the first African-American chair of a department at the Harvard Medical School. His interest in science as a youth was, in part, inspired by Louis Pasteur. He obtained a full ride scholarship and completed his BS (1941) in Biology and a minor in Chemistry, fishing summa cum laude from Springfield College. He subsequently worked for a year in the Biology Department as a graduate assistant.
He was drafted into the U.S. Quartermaster Corps during WWII, and while serving in France, developed an affinity for France. Upon his return he earned a MA (1947) and PhD (1952) in Biological Sciences from Harvard Medical School in the Division of Medical Science. His PhD made him the first African-American to earn a PhD from that Division. He then went to the Pasteur Institute for 2 years on a Fulbright Fellowship.
His PhD work focused on virology and Herpes infectivity, while his work in France focused on bacteriology. The rest of his career focused on RNA metabolism, glucose metabolism, and enzymatic function in animal cells at Harvard. He progressed through the ranks and served as chair twice of the Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, becoming the first African American to head a Medical School department at Harvard. He was dedicated to mentoring, teaching, and service. He was also dedicated to increasing research opportunities for minority scholars. After his retirement, he was the first director of the Minority Medical Faculty Development Program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF).
Over his 50 year tenure, Dr. Amos received many awards and accolades including the Dr. Charles Drew World Medical Prize from Howard University (1989), the Public Welfare Medal of the National Academy of Sciences (1995) and the Centennial Medal (2000) from Harvard University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. He was also named a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (1974) and of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) (1991). After a lifetime of service, he passed away in 2003.
References:
- https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2007/02/harold-amos/
- https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/amos-harold-1918-2003/
- https://www.amfdp.org/about/about-harold-amos
Image source:
President’s Cancer Panel, 1982. NCI.