Defining Moments of a Free Man from a Black Stream (Paperback)

BOOK EXCELLENCE AWARD FINALIST

ONLINE BOOK CLUB'S NON-FICTION BOOK OF THE YEAR

An inspirational and compelling memoir of a young black man who grew up in abject poverty and rose to become one of the world's pre-eminent scientists in the pharmaceutical industry.

Dr. Frank L. Douglas was raised in the small South American country of Guyana. Suffering under the weight of poverty, Douglas faced severe childhood trauma, often questioning his place in his family and yearning for acceptance. Despite these obstacles, Douglas excelled academically, showing great promise at school and winning multiple awards.

In 1963, two weeks before Dr. Martin Luther King’s historic March on Washington, twenty-year-old Douglas arrives in the United States as a Fulbright scholar. A curious and motivated young man, Douglas was shocked by the racism he received from white Americans and the cultural prejudice he received from black Americans. Struggling with his faith and identity, Douglas became the master of his own fate through grit, hard work, and the road less travelled. He went on to complete his Ph.D. and M.D. from Cornell University, and a residency in Internal Medicine at Johns Hopkins.

In his career, Douglas continued to climb the ranks of academia and made significant discoveries in the pharmacology field. He established the Center for Biomedical Innovation at MIT and received the George Beene Foundation Award, GQ Magazine’s Rock Star of Science Award, Black History Maker Award and the National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers Lifetime Achievement Award. He has continued to champion the cause of African American students, having never forgotten his own roots in a poverty-ridden, politically conflicted homeland. The meaning of his name—Frank being Celtic for “free man” and Douglas being Scottish for “from a black stream”—has become his personal banner.

Defining Moments of a Free Man from A Black Stream is a brilliant memoir of race, pain, survival, hard work, and one man’s remarkable ability to take control of his own destiny and achieve success. It is a deeply moving story from a powerful new voice who has steadily defied expectations—and whose story inspires us to do the same.

Dr. Frank L. Douglas (The Reframe Doctor) is a DEI expert. His first name, Frank, means free man or freemason. His last name, Douglas, carries the meaning of a black stream hence, he is a free man from a black stream. Dr. Frank L. Douglas, born in British Guiana (now Guyana) in 1943, had a rough start in life and faced many challenges during his early years. He, along with his mother and siblings, struggled with homelessness and hunger. However, his mother's wonderful friends often provided them with relief.At the age of 12, Dr. Douglas had a life-changing experience after fear saved him from a watery suicide attempt and he learned his father's true identity. He became a "born again" Christian and worked towards bettering his life. Dr. Douglas went on to become an exceptional student, achieving the best performance in Guyana in the College of Preceptors and Senior Cambridge Examinations at ages 14 and 15, respectively, making him a scholarship recipient at Queens College High School. He continued to excel academically and became a leader among his peers. He also developed a deep involvement in the Elim Evangelical Church, and eventually became the Director of the Youth for Christ organization in Guyana, at age 19. Dr. Douglas was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship at the age of 20 to study Chemistry at the Engineering College at Lehigh University in America. He arrived in the United States two weeks before the historic Martin Luther King march in Washington, D.C. and unfortunately, immediately experienced what it was to be judged negatively by the color of one's skin.Dr. Frank L. Douglas PhD, MD, became a renowned drug innovator and a giant in the pharmaceutical industry. Dr. Douglas began his career at the director level at a major global pharmaceutical company and led teams that have been responsible for bringing more than 25 drugs to market. At the time of his retirement, he was Executive Vice-President and a Member of the Board of Management at a Top 5 Global Pharmaceutical Company. As such, he understands the challenges of a middle manager as well as those of a member of the C-suite.As CEO of Safe Haven Dialogues, LLC, Dr. Douglas now brings his incredible talents, expertise, and experience, both as a Black man and as an executive, to the DEI space and has written a primer entitled "Until You Walk in My Shoes: A Reframing Methodology to Overcome Systemic Discrimination". Dr. Douglas uses his enormous problem-solving skills to create innovative ideas and tools in his effort to combat discrimination, improve workplace culture, and increase employee well-being. He advocates a paradigm shift in DEI strategies by focusing more on Equity and Inclusion. He has originated the Equity, Inclusion, and Individual Engagement Principle and has created an Equity-Inclusion Culture Matrix that evaluates organizational cultures.As a global thought leader, Dr. Frank L. Douglas has been dedicated to providing impactful and life-changing solutions to his audiences. Whether speaking at conferences, conducting training sessions, or delivering specialized consulting services, he is committed to leveraging his expertise and experiences to improve the lives and well-being of individuals and communities alike.Douglas has received the Global Pharmaceutical Research and Development Director of the Year Award in 2001 and 2004; the Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers in 2002; the Black History Maker Award in 2007; the Geoffrey Beene Foundation and GQ Rockstar of Science, and the Odyssey Award from the Center of Medicine in the Public Interest in 2010; and the Caribbean Heritage Award for Entrepreneurship in 2011.Read less about this