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.