Alice Ball was an African American chemist born in 1892 in Seattle, Washington. She is best known for developing the Ball Method, an innovative treatment for leprosy (Hansen's disease) using oil extracted from the chaulmoogra plant. Her method became the first effective treatment for the disease and was widely used in the early 20th century. Despite her significant contributions, Alice Ball faced challenges due to her race and gender in a male-dominated field. She earned her degree in chemistry from the University of Washington and became the first woman and first African American to earn a degree in chemistry there. Sadly, she passed away at a young age in 1916, but her legacy continues to impact medicine today.