Field of excellence
Black Americans in Medicine
Black Americans helped invent modern medicine — open-heart surgery, chemotherapy, cardiac surgery, laser eye surgery — often while barred from the hospitals that used their breakthroughs.
Black Americans helped build the nation's health even as it segregated their care. james-mccune-smith became the first Black American to hold a medical degree (1837); rebecca-lee-crumpler the first Black woman to earn one (1864). daniel-hale-williams performed one of the first successful open-heart surgeries in 1893 and founded Provident Hospital so Black doctors and nurses could train. vivien-thomas, with no college degree, pioneered the operation that saved "blue babies" at Johns Hopkins. jane-cooke-wright helped turn chemotherapy into a real cancer treatment; solomon-carter-fuller, the first Black psychiatrist, did early Alzheimer's research; patricia-bath invented laser eye surgery; and mae-jemison, a physician, became the first Black woman in space. A record of healing built against the grain of a system that often refused to heal them.
The web
Connections to other moments, systems, and investigations — the links rarely drawn together.
- part of (incoming)·PersonDaniel Hale Williams
Surgeon who performed one of the first successful open-heart surgeries (1893) and founded Provident Hospital in Chicago, the first Black-owned hospital in the US.
- part of (incoming)·PersonRebecca Lee Crumpler
The first Black woman to earn a medical degree in the United States (1864); cared for freed people after the Civil War and authored an early medical text by a Black author.
- part of (incoming)·PersonJames McCune Smith
The first Black American to hold a medical degree (University of Glasgow); ran a pharmacy and practice in New York and was a prominent abolitionist and writer.
- part of (incoming)·PersonJane Cooke Wright
Pioneering cancer researcher who advanced chemotherapy, developing techniques to test drugs on patient tissue cultures and helping make chemotherapy a viable treatment.
- part of (incoming)·PersonVivien Thomas
Surgical technician who helped develop the operation to treat blue baby syndrome, pioneering cardiac surgery at Johns Hopkins despite lacking a college or medical degree.
- part of (incoming)·PersonMae Jemison
Physician and engineer who in 1992 became the first Black woman to travel into space, aboard Space Shuttle Endeavour.
- part of (incoming)·PersonSolomon Carter Fuller
Considered the first Black American psychiatrist; conducted pioneering Alzheimer's disease research while working in Massachusetts.