Today In Black History: Dr. Lena Frances Edwards
One of the first African Americans to gain admission to the International College of Surgeons
Issue #828 Today In Black History, Monday, March 24, 2025
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Dr. Lena Frances Edwards was born on September 17, 1900, in Washington, D.C., and was inspired to pursue medicine from a young age. She graduated as valedictorian from Dunbar High School, Washington, D.C.'s first high school for Black students, and later attended Howard University, where she completed both her undergraduate and medical degrees.
Dr. Edwards dedicated her life to providing healthcare to underserved communities as an obstetrician-gynecologist. She started her medical career in Jersey City, New Jersey, where she served largely immigrant and low-income populations. Dr. Edwards became a highly respected physician known for her unwavering commitment to her patients.
In 1924, she married fellow medical student Keith Madison, and they had six children. Dr. Edwards helped organize the People’s Charitable League and daycare center.
During her career, Dr. Edwards taught at the Howard Medical School and worked on behalf of the poor through the Urban League, the National Association of Colored Women’s Clubs, the Social Work Advisory Committee, and the Catholic International Council.
Throughout her career, Dr. Edwards was an outspoken advocate for social justice, particularly in the areas of racial equality and women's rights. She was actively involved in the Catholic Church, and her work extended beyond her medical practice as she delivered lectures and published works addressing the pressing social issues of her time.
In 1964, Dr. Edwards was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Lyndon B. Johnson, one of the highest civilian honors in the United States.
Dr. Edwards' influence extended to her work with the Migrant Workers Clinic in Hereford, Texas, where she served as medical director until her retirement in 1974.
Dr. Lena Frances Edwards died in Lakewood, New Jersey on December 3, 1986.
Today In Black History
In 1837, Black Canadians won the right to vote.
In 1853, the anti-slavery newspaper “The Provincial Freeman” was first published by Mary Ann Shadd Cary, the first Black woman publisher in North America.
In 2002, Halle Berry became the first Black woman to win the Best Actress Academy Award.
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Thank you for sharing. What makes her accomplishments so much more remarkable, is that she did them with so many obstacles during that time.
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