The American Chemical Society and the Cult of Joseph Priestley - Origins and Legacy

Explore a fascinating historical lecture examining how the American Chemical Society's founding intertwined with the mythologizing of Joseph Priestley in 1874. Delve into the events surrounding a pivotal gathering of chemists in Northumberland, Pennsylvania, who commemorated the centennial of Priestley's oxygen discovery - a celebration that catalyzed the formation of America's first national chemical organization. Learn how American chemists constructed a professional identity by portraying Priestley as the founder of American chemistry, despite historical evidence showing a more complex reality. Discover the contrast between this crafted narrative and Priestley's actual experiences as an immigrant (1794-1804), particularly his unsuccessful attempts to defend phlogiston theory against Lavoisier's new chemistry. Understand how the 1874 Priestley commemoration served as a carefully constructed origin story, designed to meet the professional and disciplinary needs of American chemistry during that period.