This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items. (February 2016)
Nurses at Oak Ridge Hospital in the 1940s
African-American women have been practicing medicine informally in the contexts of midwifery and herbalism for centuries. Those skilled as midwives, like Biddy Mason, worked both as slaves and as free women in their trades. Others, like Susie King Taylor and Ann Bradford Stokes, served as nurses in the Civil War. Formal training and recognition of African-American women began in 1858 when Sarah Mapps Douglass was the first black woman to graduate from a medical course of study at an American university.[1] Later, in 1864 Rebecca Crumpler became the first African-American woman to earn a medical degree. The first nursing graduate was Mary Mahoney in 1879. The first dentist, Ida Gray, graduated from the University of Michigan in 1890. It was not until 1916 that Ella P. Stewart became the first African-American woman to become a licensed pharmacist. Inez Prosser in 1933 became the first African-American woman to earn a doctorate in psychology. Two women, Jane Hinton and Alfreda Johnson Webb, in 1949, were the first to earn a doctor of veterinary medicine degree. Joyce Nichols, in 1970, became the first woman to become a physician's assistant.
This is an alphabetical list of African-American women who have made significant firsts and contributions to the field of medicine in their own centuries.
1800s
Susie Baker, later Susie Taylor, a Civil War nurse
Anna DeCosta Banks, who graduated nursing school in 1891, had a long and successful career as a nurse in both the 19th and 20th centuries.[3]
Lucy Hughes Brown in 1894 became the first African American woman physician in North Carolina,[4] and then later in the decade, the first in South Carolina.[5]
Sarah Mapps Douglass became the first woman to complete a medical course of study at an American university in 1858 when she graduated from the Ladies' Institute of the Pennsylvania Medical University.[11]
Juan Bennett Drummond, 1888 graduate of the Women's Medical College of Pennsylvania, became the first African American woman doctor licensed in Massachusetts.[12]
E
Matilda Evans in 1897 becomes the first African American woman to earn a medical license in South Carolina.[13]
Louise Celia Fleming in 1891 became the first African American woman to enroll in the Women's Medical College in Philadelphia.[15]Louise Celia Fleming, an early African American physician
Martha Minerva Franklin graduated from nursing school in 1897 and worked to improve racial equality in nursing.[16]
Sarah Loguen Fraser in 1879 became the first woman and African American to graduate from the Syracuse College of Medicine and became the fourth African American woman to become a doctor.[17]
Sophia B. Jones was a Canadian-born American medical doctor, who founded the nursing program at Spelman College. She was the first black woman to graduate from the University of Michigan Medical School and the first black faculty member at Spelman.[24]
M
Mary Mahoney was the first African-American to graduate from nursing training, graduating in 1879.[25]
Virginia Alexander was a public health official and physician in Philadelphia who founded the Aspiranto Health Home in 1931 for the poorest members of her community.[42]
Dorothy Lavinia Brown was the first African American woman working in general surgery residency in the Southern United States, where she started in 1948.[50]
Zora Kramer Brown served on the National Cancer Advisory Board between 1991 and 1998 and was the first African American woman to hold that position.[51]
Barbara McDonald Calderon was the first public health nurse in Iowa.[54]Donna Christian-Christensen, the first woman and African-American physician to serve in the United States Congress on C-SPAN.
Alexa Canady is the first African-American woman to become a neurosurgeon and practiced as a pediatric neurosurgeon.[55]
Cora LeEthel Christian, who also worked in the Virgin Islands, became the first African American woman to earn her medical degree at Jefferson Medical College in 1971.[58]
Donna Christian-Christensen, in 1997, is the first woman physician and first African-American physician to serve in the United States Congress.[34]
Bessie Delany, who graduated from the Columbia University School of Dental and Oral Surgery in 1923 became the second African American woman to be licensed as a dentist in New York State.[66]
Donna P. Davis in 1975 became the first African American physician in the US Navy.[67]
Marilyn Hughes Gaston, in 1990 becomes the first black woman doctor appointed to the Health Resources and Services Administration's Bureau of Primary Health Care.[8]
Wilina Ione Gatson in 1960 becomes the first African American graduate of the University of Texas nursing school.[87]
Helene Doris Gayle, in 1995 becomes the first woman and African-American appointed as Director of the National Center for HIV, STD, and TB Prevention at the US CDC.[34]
Florence S. Gaynor becomes the first African American woman to "head a major teaching hospital" in 1971.[89]
Mary Keys Gibson in 1907 became the first African American in the Southern United States to earn a nursing certificate.[90]
Eva M. Noles in 1940 was the first African American person to graduate from the E.J. Meyer Memorial Hospital School of Nursing.[126]Joyce Nichols, center, and Shirley Thompson, right, treat Raymond Hayes in 1983.
Rose Marie Pegues-Perkins was one of the first African American x-ray technicians.[131]
Muriel Petioni in 1974 founded the Susan Smith McKinney Steward Medical Society for Women, professional organization for African American doctors.[132]
Sharon Henry in 2000, becomes the first African American woman to become a fellow in the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma.[34]
J
Thea L. James is the Associate Professor, Associate Chief Medical Officer, and Vice President of the Mission at the Boston Medical Center.
Michele Johnson, became the first woman and African American promoted to a full professorship of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging and of Neurosurgery at the Yale School of Medicine in 2014.[168]
Paula A. Johnson is the first African-American president of Wellesley College, chairwoman of the Boston Public Health Commission, former professor at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
O
Elizabeth O. Ofili in 2000 became the first woman to serve as president of the Association of Black Cardiologists.[169]
Jeannette E. South-Paul in 2001 became the first African American to serve as permanent department chair at the University of Pittsburgh department of family medicine.[171]
^Buhler-Wilkerson, Karen (1997). "Banks, Anna De Costa". In Hines, Darlene Clark (ed.). Black Women in America: Science Health and Medicine. New York: Facts on File, Inc. pp. 37–38. ISBN 0816034249.
^“The New Doctors” Wilmington Messenger, May 20, 1894, p. 1
^Moldow, Gloria (1997). "Brown, Mary Louise". In Hines, Darlene Clark (ed.). Black Women in America: Science Health and Medicine. New York: Facts on File, Inc. p. 45. ISBN 0816034249.
^Horner, J. Richey, ed. (June 1910). "Obituaries". The Journal of the American Institute of Homoeophathy. II: 409.
^ abcdHaskins, Julia (25 February 2019). "Celebrating 10 African-American medical pioneers". AAMC. Retrieved 2020-05-05.
^"Rebecca J. Cole". Changing the Face of Medicine. Retrieved 2020-05-05.
^"Juan Bennett Drummond was first African American woman doctor in Massachusetts". South Coast Today. 15 March 2020. Retrieved 2020-05-07.
^"Matilda Arabella Evans". Changing the Face of Medicine. Retrieved 2020-05-05.
^Harley, Sharon (1997). "Fleetwood, Sara Iredell". In Hine, Darlene Clark (ed.). Black Women in America: Science Health and Medicine. New York: Facts on File, Inc. pp. 72–73. ISBN 0816034249.
^C., Atwater, Edward (2016). Women medical doctors in the United States before the Civil War : a biographical dictionary. Rochester, NY. ISBN 9781580465717. OCLC 945359277.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
^"Eliza Ann Grier". Changing the Face of Medicine. Retrieved 2020-05-05.
^Slawson, Robert (2011-01-04). "African Americans in Medicine in the Civil War Era". Black Past. Retrieved 2020-05-07.
^Bull, John (2012-10-08). "ARCHIVE: Angels and Errors: How the Harrow & Wealdstone Disaster Helped Shape Modern Britain". London Reconnections. Retrieved 2024-05-12.
^ abcdefghijklmMurphy, Beverly. "LibGuides: Black History Month: A Medical Perspective: Chronology of Achievements". Duke University Medical Center Library & Archives. Retrieved 2020-05-05.
^ abcdefgWalker, Angelina (10 February 2020). "12 Leaders in Nursing and Medicine To Honor This Black History Month". Nurse.org. Retrieved 2020-05-15.
^"Say their names: 'Call and Response' explores horrific history of medical testing on enslaved people". The Bay State Banner. 2023-09-27. Retrieved 2024-05-09.
^"Honoring Louisiana's First Black Female Physician". Iberia Travel. 2018-10-02. Retrieved 2020-05-21.
^Miller, Janet (1997). "Washington, Georgia". In Hine, Darlene Clark (ed.). Black Women in America: Science Health and Medicine. New York: Facts on File, Inc. p. 126. ISBN 0816034249.
^Miller, Janet (1997). "Woodby-McKane, Alice". In Hine, Darlene Clark (ed.). Black Women in America: Science Health and Medicine. New York: Facts on File, Inc. pp. 128–129. ISBN 0816034249.
^Bellafaire, Judith (1993). The Army Nurse Corps: A Commemoration of World War II Service. U.S. Army Center of Military History. pp. 8–9.
^ abcdKandia Johnson (2019-11-11). "African American Women Who Made U.S. Military History". Black Enterprise. Retrieved 2020-05-06.
^"Virginia Alexander". Changing the Face of Medicine.
^"Ludie Clay Andrews". Georgia Women of Achievement. Retrieved 2020-05-19.
^Medea, Andra (1997). "Boyd-Franklin, Nancy". In Hines, Darlene Clark (ed.). Black Women in America: Science Health and Medicine. New York: Facts on File, Inc. pp. 41–42. ISBN 0816034249.
^"Clara Arena Brawner". Changing the Face of Medicine. Retrieved 2020-05-05.
^Armfield, Felix (1997). "Bullock, Carrie E.". In Hine, Darlene Clark (ed.). Black Women in America: Science Health and Medicine. New York: Facts on File, Inc. p. 47. ISBN 0816034249.
^ abGregory, Ted (28 May 2001). "Forgotten war nurses keep their story alive". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2020-05-17.
^"UI Collection Guides -Barbara M. Calderon papers, 1945-1968". University of Iowa Libraries. Retrieved 2020-05-19.
^"Dr. Alexa Irene Canady". Changing the Face of Medicine.
^"Black History Month - Notable Nurses Throughout History". Trusted Health. Retrieved 2020-05-19.
^"May Edward Chinn". Changing the Face of Medicine. Retrieved 2020-05-05.
^Medea, Andra (1997). "Clark, Mamie Phipps". In Hine, Darlene Clark (ed.). Black Women in America: Science Health and Medicine. New York: Facts on File, Inc. pp. 51–54. ISBN 0816034249.
^Sabbath, Tawana Ford (2001). "African Americans and Social Work in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1900-1913". In Carlton-LaNey, Iris B. (ed.). African American Leadership: An Empowerment Tradition in Social Welfare History. Washington, D.C.: NASW Press. p. 25. ISBN 9780871013170 – via Internet Archive.
^Medea, Andra (1997). "Cowings, Patricia". In Hine, Darlene Clark (ed.). Black Women in America: Science Health and Medicine. New York: Facts on File, Inc. pp. 55–57. ISBN 0816034249.
^"Sadye Beatryce Curry". Changing the Face of Medicine. Retrieved 2020-05-05.
^Massey, Daniel. "Delany, Annie Elizabeth ("Bessie")". Encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 2020-05-09.
^Sobocinski, Andre. "Five Facts about African-Americans in Navy Medicine". Navy Medicine Live. Retrieved 2020-05-16.
^Shifrin, Susan (1997). "Epps, Roselyn Payne". In Hine, Darlene Clark (ed.). Black Women in America: Science Health and Medicine. New York: Facts on File, Inc. pp. 67–68. ISBN 0816034249.
^"Ella Mae Ferneil, First African-American Registered Nurse in CA Hired by Children's Hospital Oakland". UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland. 2020-05-19. Archived from the original on 2020-05-19. Retrieved 2020-05-19.
^"Justina Laurena Ford". Changing the Face of Medicine. Retrieved 2020-05-05.
^ ab"100 Years of Women at Yale School of Medicine · Women Medical Graduates in the 1940s and 1950s ·". Yale University Library Online Exhibitions. Archived from the original on 15 May 2020. Retrieved 2020-05-15.
^"Timeline of Texas Women's History". Women in Texas History. Retrieved 2020-05-13.
^Bell, Pegge (1997). "Hale, Mamie Odessa". In Hine, Darlene Clark (ed.). Black Women in America: Science Health and Medicine. New York: Facts on File, Inc. pp. 81–82. ISBN 0816034249.
^Howard, Beth. "Women physicians over the centuries". Yale School of Medicine. Retrieved 2020-05-06.
^Jenkins, Earnestine (1997). "Kneeland, Francis M.". In Hine, Darlene Clark (ed.). Black Women in America: Science Health and Medicine. New York: Facts on File, Inc. pp. 94–95. ISBN 0816034249.
^Lunardini, Christine A. (1997). "Lattimer, Agnes D.". In Hine, Darlene Clark (ed.). Black Women in America: Science Health and Medicine. New York: Facts on File, Inc. pp. 97–98. ISBN 0816034249.
^Carey, Charles W. (2008). African Americans in Science: An encyclopedia of people and progress. ABC-CLIO, Inc. pp. 142–144. ISBN 978-1-85109-999-3.
^Prather, Patricia; Bridges, Jennifer (22 October 2013). "Lawson, Jemima Belle". Handbook of Texas Online. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
^Shifrin, Susan (1997). "McCarroll, Ernest Mae". In Hine, Darlene Clark (ed.). Black Women in America: Science Health and Medicine. New York: Facts on File, Inc. p. 102. ISBN 0816034249.
^"Mary E. Merritt". Kentucky Commission on Human Rights. Retrieved 2020-05-19.
^Hunt, Marion (1997). "Nash, Helen E.". In Hine, Darlene Clark (ed.). Black Women in America: Science Health and Medicine. New York: Facts on File, Inc. pp. 103–105. ISBN 0816034249.
^"Muriel Petioni". Changing the Face of Medicine. Retrieved 2020-05-06.
^Clark, Alexis (15 May 2018). "The Army's First Black Nurses Were Relegated to Caring for Nazi Prisoners of War". Smithsonian Magazine. Retrieved 2020-05-16.
^Benjamin, Ludy T. (November 2008). "America's first black female psychologist". APA. Retrieved 2020-06-15.
^"Deborah Prothrow-Stith". Changing the Face of Medicine. Retrieved 2020-05-06.
^"Negro Nurses". National Negro Health News. 12 (2): 7. April 1944 – via Google Books.
^"Celebrating Black History Month: Pioneers in Healthcare". Community Medical Centers. 19 February 2018. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
^"Jeanne Spurlock". Changing the Face of Medicine. Retrieved 2020-05-06.
^"Profiles in Diversity - Timeline of Prominent Achievements in Medicine by African American Men and Women in Pittsburgh". Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine | University of Pittsburgh. 21 September 2015. Retrieved 2020-05-05.
^"150 Years of Women at UCSF". University of California San Francisco. Retrieved 2020-05-19.
^"Natalia M. Tanner". Changing the Face of Medicine. Retrieved 2020-05-06.
^Shifrin, Susan (1997). "Temple, Ruth Janetta". In Hine, Darlene Clark (ed.). Black Women in America: Science Health and Medicine. New York: Facts on File, Inc. pp. 122–123. ISBN 0816034249.
^"Debi Thomas". Changing the Face of Medicine. Retrieved 2020-05-06.
^"Yvonnecris Smith Veal". Changing the Face of Medicine. Retrieved 2020-05-06.
^"Dora Akunyili daughter make history as first black chief medical officer". BBC News Pidgin. 13 January 2023. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
^Crudup, Devin (6 April 2020). "Meet the Black Woman Appointed as California's First-Ever Surgeon General". AfroTech. Retrieved 2020-05-15.
^"First African American CRNA Inducted into AAN". News Wise. Retrieved 2020-05-19.
^"100 Years of Women at Yale School of Medicine · Growing Numbers, Changing Times? ·". Yale University Library Online Exhibitions. Retrieved 2020-05-15.
^"Elizabeth Odilile Ofili". Changing the Face of Medicine. Retrieved 2020-05-06.
^"Joan Y. Reede". Changing the Face of Medicine. Retrieved 2020-05-06.
^"Jeannette E. South-Paul". Changing the Face of Medicine. Retrieved 2020-05-06.
^"Karen Winkfield, PhD'04, MD'05, HS'05-'06 | Duke School of Medicine". medschool.duke.edu. Retrieved 2021-09-26.
Sources
Aptheker, Bettina (1982). Woman's Legacy: Essays on Race, Sex, and Class in American History. Amherst: The University of Massachusetts Press. ISBN 978-0870233654 – via Internet Archive.
Epps, Charles H.; Johnson, Davis G.; Vaughan, Audrey L. (October 1993). "Black Medical Pioneers: African-American 'Firsts' In Academic and Organized Medicine". Journal of the National Medical Association. 85 (10): 777–796. PMC 2568213. PMID 8254696.
Hine, Darlene Clark (1997). Black Women in America: Science Health and Medicine. New York: Facts on File, Inc. ISBN 0816034249.
Smith, Jessie Carney (2003). Black Firsts : 4,000 Ground-Breaking and Pioneering Historical Events (2nd, revised and expanded ed.). Canton, Michigan: Visible Ink Press. ISBN 1-57859-142-2. OCLC 51060259 – via Internet Archive.
Webster, Raymond B. (1999). African American Firsts in Science & Technology. Farmington Hills, MI: Gale Group. ISBN 978-0-7876-3876-4. OCLC 41238505 – via Internet Archive.