9 ▁school ▁year , ▁en roll ment ▁had ▁reached ▁ 1 1 , 8 2 8 ▁students ▁and ▁by ▁ 2 0 0 1 ▁Florida ▁A & M ▁had ▁an ▁en roll ment ▁of ▁ 1 2 , 3 1 6 . ▁ ▁He ▁has ▁a ▁b ach elor ' s ▁degree ▁in ▁physical ▁chem istry ▁from ▁Florida ▁A & M ▁University ▁where ▁he ▁graduated ▁mag na ▁cum ▁la ude ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 7 . ▁He ▁received ▁a ▁Ph . D . ▁in ▁physical ▁chem istry ▁from ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Pitts burgh ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 4 ▁where ▁he ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁African ▁American ▁to ▁receive ▁a ▁Ph . D ▁in ▁this ▁discipline ▁from ▁the ▁University . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁He ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁Ap al ach icola , ▁Florida ▁on ▁December ▁ 2 6 , ▁ 1 9 3 5 , ▁to ▁Thor nt on ▁Hum ph ries ▁and ▁Minn ie ▁Henry , ▁and ▁received ▁his ▁early ▁education ▁there . ▁He ▁attended ▁the ▁Holy ▁Family ▁Catholic ▁School ▁and ▁the ▁small , ▁all - black ▁Wal lace ▁M . ▁Qu inn ▁High ▁School ▁in ▁Ap al ach icola . ▁He ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁only ▁nine ▁gradu ates ▁in ▁the ▁class ▁of ▁ 1 9 5 3 . ▁Yet , ▁he ▁now ▁cont ends ▁that ▁because ▁of ▁the ▁quality ▁and ▁dedic ation ▁of ▁teachers , ▁the ▁small ▁size ▁of ▁his ▁school ▁and ▁the ▁lack ▁of ▁s oph istic ated ▁equipment ▁did ▁not ▁hand ic ap ▁him . ▁In ▁an ▁interview ▁with