"My story begins in Montreal on August 6, 1931, the day before my

father died. I was not quite 5 years old, and I was the fourth of six

siblings that my mother was left to raise — at the height of the

so-called 'Great Depression'.

"I trace and comment on my life struggles through public school,

high school and thence to my first university degree. Throughout, I

faced the dual problem of going to school without having the mandatory

fees. But I point out that I completed my education debt-free, never

having applied for or received a student loan.

"I also reveal how I coped with the double-edged difficulty of being

both black and ambitious, while persevering in a mostly unwelcoming,

white dominated environment. Then I tell how I managed to overcome

numerous obstacles, to obtain a doctorate (in Organic Chemistry), and

eventually go on to become a pioneering Canadian-born black scientist

and educator — more than 40 years ago. Parenthetically, the pivotal

breakthrough in my professional career, took place at about the same

time (1947) in the same city (Montreal), that Jackie Robinson was making

his breakthrough into organized baseball.

"So in every sense, this is the story of a 'Native Son'."

Thomas (Tom) F. Massiah