George Wiley


George Alvin Wiley was an American chemist and civil rights leader.

Early life and education

Wiley was born in Bayonne, New Jersey, the son of a postal clerk and one of six children. Wiley's family eventually moved to Warwick, Rhode Island.
Wiley earned his undergraduate degree at the University of Rhode Island in 1953. He received a doctorate in organic chemistry from Cornell University in 1957. Wiley fulfilled a six-month ROTC obligation as a first lieutenant in the United States Army at Fort Lee, Virginia; and subsequently accepted a post-doctoral fellowship at the University of California, Los Angeles.

Career

Wiley taught for two years at the University of California, Berkeley, whereupon he took a teaching position at Syracuse University in 1960. That same year, he founded the Syracuse chapter of Congress of Racial Equality. He later was a founder of the National Welfare Rights Organization.
He was listed on the Master list of Nixon's political opponents.
In August 1973, Wiley was reported missing and presumed drowned while sailing in Chesapeake Bay. The George Wiley Award for Exceptional Performance in Organic Chemistry for students at the university of Syracuse is named in his honor.

Personal life

Wiley was married and had two children. His daughter is civil rights activist and lawyer, Maya Wiley.
On August 9, 1973, Wiley fell overboard while on a boat with his children on the Chesapeake Bay. On August 12, 1973, Wiley's body was found on the shore of Chesapeake Beach, Maryland after a three-day search.