▁a ▁Blo om field ▁Moore ▁Fellow ship , ▁a ▁fellow ship ▁for ▁women ▁planning ▁to ▁become ▁teachers ▁to ▁undert ake ▁research . ▁ ▁Julian ▁passed ▁a ▁pre lim inary ▁Ph D ▁exam ination ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 5 . ▁Her ▁doctor al ▁work ▁involved ▁studying ▁the ▁case ▁records ▁of ▁ 1 0 0 ▁families ▁receiving ▁income ▁support ▁from ▁the ▁Family ▁Service ▁Association . ▁She ▁was ▁awarded ▁her ▁Ph D ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 7 , ▁the ▁first ▁African - American ▁woman ▁to ▁ear n ▁a ▁doctor al ▁degree ▁in ▁soci ology . ▁Her ▁dis sert ation ▁was ▁titled ▁Stand ards ▁of ▁Rel ief : ▁An ▁Analysis ▁of ▁One ▁H undred ▁Family ▁Case ▁Records . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 3 9 , ▁Julian ▁left ▁her ▁job ▁in ▁DC ▁to ▁join ▁her ▁husband ▁in ▁Chicago , ▁becoming ▁a ▁lif el ong ▁civ ic ▁activ ist . ▁The ▁Jul ians ▁established ▁Julian ▁Labor ator ies ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 3 , ▁and ▁she ▁worked ▁as ▁vice ▁president ▁and ▁book - keeper ▁of ▁the ▁enter prise ▁while ▁her ▁children ▁were ▁young . ▁The ▁business ▁was ▁scientific ally ▁and ▁commer cially ▁successful , ▁special izing ▁in ▁synth es izing ▁h orm ones ▁in ▁bulk . ▁Pre viously , ▁Per cy ▁Julian ▁had ▁pione ered ▁the ▁synth esis ▁of ▁cort ic ost ero ids ▁among ▁other ▁scientific ▁accomplish ments . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 3 , ▁Julian ▁was ▁appointed ▁by ▁the ▁Illinois ▁State ▁Governor , ▁Otto ▁K erner , ▁to ▁the ▁B irth