Scientist – Marie Maynard Daly

Marie Maynard Daly was a Biochemist. Born on Apr. 16, 1921, in New York City. Daly was the first African American woman in the United States to get a Ph.D. in Chemistry. She earned her degree at Columbia University in 1947 when she was only 26 years old. Daly’s early research included studies of the effects of cholesterol on the mechanics of the heart, the effects of sugars and other nutrients on the health of arteries, and the breakdown of the circulatory system as a result of advanced age or hypertension. She developed many programs to increase the enrollment of minority students in medical school and graduate science programs.