Almost 90 years after graduating from Dartmouth, the United States Postal Service honored African-American marine biologist Ernest E. Just '07 with a stamp as part of the annual "Black Heritage Series."
"Just excelled as a scientist in an area and in an era when it was extremely difficult for minorities to do so," Professor of Sociology Ray Hall said. "This can be attributed to his character and brilliance."
"He justly deserved all the praise and accolades we are bestowing on him," Hall added.
The 32-cent stamp commemorating Just was issued on February 1, 1996 out of Washington, DC. and was designed by Richard D. Sheaff of Norwood, Massachusetts.
Retired Biology Professor William Billard remembers working with Just at the Marine Biological Lab in Woods Hole, Massachusetts during the 1930s.
Just "was a quiet but friendly man. Everyone liked him and turned to him for advice," he said. "Just was always on the frontier of marine biology."
He was a very innovative scientist, according to Billard, who used new materials for old-fashioned experiments.
"Just was honored for being a distinguished black scientist at a time when there was none," Physics Professor John Walsh said. "He was a distinguished scientist, period, so it was nice to see him honored."
Hanover Postmaster Fred Gobeille said, "February is black heritage month and each year we issue a stamp of a notable black American who makes an important contribution to society -- E.E. Just certainly fulfills this criteria."
Just came to New Hampshire from South Carolina to study at the Kimball Union Academy before accepting a scholarship to Dartmouth, Walsh said.
Hall described him as a reticent scholar who was very serious academically. While at Kimball Union Academy, Just held high academic standards for himself and received many awards for his scholastic achievements.
Just did not come to Dartmouth with the intent of studying biology, Hall said.
"He studied history and sociology, but it was one of his professors who turned his fancy to biology especially zoology," Hall said.
Just received a degree in biology in 1907 and was the only student in his class to graduate magna cum laude, according to the Valley News.
"He was a brilliant student at Dartmouth," Walsh said. "He had a rocky start at the beginning but finished strong and is a genuinely distinguished scientist."
Upon graduating, Just went on to teach at Howard University in Washington, DC and in Europe 1941, according to the Valley News.
Race was an obstacle in Just's professional career.
"At the time Just graduated and was going into the scientific world all avenues to research were closed to African-Americans," Hall said. "He never had the opportunity to pursue an academic career in the predominately white institutions or to do private research.
Just ended up teaching at Howard University for the majority of his career.
Just finally attained notoriety due to his research in cell motility.
"Unfortunately for many of us in academics and research we do not become famous until after we are dead," Hall said. "Today Just is remembered for his insightful work."
Just went to Woods Hole in 1912 and every subsequent summer for the next 20 years, according to Hall.
"Just was highly deserving of this recognition," Walsh said.
In commemoration of Just, Dartmouth endows a professorship for the natural sciences and offers a program encouraging black students to pursue biological research.
Professor of Biology George Langford now holds the Just endowment and is pursuing the study of cell motility.
