"Harold Amos" {September 7,1918-February 26,2003}

A native of  Pennsauken,New Jersey,Harold graduated from Springfield College in Springfield Massachusetts with a baccalaureate.In 1941.He had gone there on an academy scholarship,something few African Americans receive at that time.He served in the U.S. Army Quartermaster Corps during World War II.Following this service,he earned an MA  from Harvard University,and then receive his PhD from HMS Division of Medical Sciences in 1952.From 1951-52,he was a Fulbright scholar at the Pasteur Institute in Paris,and in 1954;he joined the Medical School faculity as an instructor in the Department of Bacteriology and Immunology.From 1968-1971,and again from 1975 until 1978,he served as chair of the department (now the Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics).
Harold was named the Maude &Lillian Presley professor of microbiology and molecular genetics in 1975 and became emeritus in 1988."Dr.Harold has been an inspiration,Mentor,and career counselor for young scientists and physicians-in-training for decades," said John Mekalanos,current chair of 
Microbiology and Molecular Genetics."He has been the consummate teacher
available,approachable,knowledgeable,and wise.Members of the Department of the Microbiology and Molecular Genetics are forever grateful that Harold Amos has been our adviser ,colleague,teacher,and friend."Harold devoted much of his time and effort to supporting and encouraging minorities in biomedical science and medicine.Harold supported the establishment of the Hinton-Wright Society in 1983,a
graduate student body at the Medical School and HSDM that support and encourages minority scientists in the Boston medical community.
In 1999,he was awarded the first annual Harold Amos Facuity Diversity Award for his continuous contributions to diversity efforts at the school.The Harold Amos-Genevieve McMillan Scholarship Fund was established in 1999 to encourage African American students pursuing medical careers,and in 2001,the Harold Amos Fund,an,endowed graduate student felloeship for students in the Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics,was established by Harold's many friends and former students.On the national level,for more than a decade he directed the Minority Medical Faculty Development Program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation,and was instrumental in creating minority programs at the National Instituties of Health and the Federation of American Societies for experimental Biology.
Harold was one of the first two recipients of the Dr.Charles R.Drew World Medical,Prize
awarded by Howard University to distinguished minority biomedical scientists.Harold was also awarded the Public Welfare Medal of the National Academy of Sciences in 1995,a doctor of science honorary degree from Harvard University in 1996,and a Harvard University Graduate School of Arts and,Sciences in 1991,was elected a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and a
member of the Institute of Medicine.He also served on the President's Cancer Panel and the National Cancer Advisory Board,and for than 30 years,served in various leadership positions with the American Cancer Society.
Harold was a Harvard faculty member for nearly 50 years,made research made research contributions to the fields of
animal cell culture,bacterial metabolism,and animal and bacterial virology.
Harold was the first African American department chair of the school.He also inspired hundreds of minorities to become medical doctors.