James A. Parsons Jr., American, 1900 - 1989 Search this
Subject of:
Tennessee State University, American, founded 1912 Search this
Medium:
ink on paper with metal
Dimensions:
H x W (closed): 10 1/16 × 5 3/4 in. (25.6 × 14.6 cm)
H x W (open): 10 1/16 × 11 1/14 in. (25.6 × 28.1 cm)
Type:
grade books
Place used:
Nashville, Davidson County, Tennessee, United States, North and Central America
Date:
1961-1962
Caption:
James A. Parsons Jr. was a scientist, inventor, and university professor, whose research with rust resistant metals and iron alloys is credited with leading to the development of stainless steel. He developed Durimet 20, a corrosion-resistant stainless steel alloy also known as Alloy 20, which is still widely used today in a diverse range of industries including petrochemical, textile, nuclear, aerospace, automotive, pharmaceutical, textile and chemical and food processing.
Born in 1900, Parsons grew up in Dayton, OH, where his father worked as a butler for Pierce Schenk, the founder of metal manufacturer Duriron Co. Schenk covered Parsons’ tuition at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in exchange for Parsons’ work over summer breaks. Parsons graduated from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in 1922 with a degree in Electrical Engineering and returned to working at Duriron Co., where he eventually established what was likely the first all-Black industrial research laboratory. Over the course of his career, Parsons received eight patents, won the Harmon Medal in 1928 for his scientific achievements, and had a distinguished teaching career at Tennessee Agriculture and Industrial State College (now Tennessee State University) and Ohio State University.
Parsons used this grade book as a professor at Tennessee A&I, where he established the first metallurgy program at any historically Black college or university.
Description:
A brown student grade book used by James A. Parsons, Jr. while teaching at Tennessee Agriculture & Industrial State College. The gradebook has silver spiral binding and black text at the center outlined in a rectangle [Class / Record Book / Form 201-7.6.7-W O. Long / J. A. Parsons Jr.(handwritten)].
