Today In Black History: Dr. Rebecca Lee Crumpler
The first African American female physician and an advocate for health equity
Issue #826 Today In Black History, Wednesday, March 19, 2025
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Dr. Rebecca Lee Crumpler was born Rebecca Davis on February 8, 1831, in Delaware, but she was raised in Pennsylvania by her aunt, who provided healthcare to neighbors. Inspired by her aunt’s compassion and skill, Rebecca pursued a career in medicine. In 1860, she was admitted to the New England Female Medical College in Boston, Massachusetts, a pioneering institution for women in medicine. In 1864, Dr. Crumpler graduated and became the first African American woman in the United States to earn a Doctor of Medicine degree.
From 1855 to 1864, Crumpler was also employed as a nurse. She was accepted into the New England Female Medical College for the 1859–1860 academic year. She received scholarships for all three years and was the only African-American student.
Following her graduation, Dr. Crumpler started her medical practice in Boston. There, she provided care to women and children, particularly the impoverished. She was dedicated to and passionate about providing medical care to all, regardless of race or economic status.
In 1865, after the Civil War, Dr. Crumpler moved to Richmond, Virginia. There, she worked under the auspices of the Freedmen’s Bureau, providing care to newly freed African Americans. She often faced discrimination and adversity from colleagues and society.
Crumpler was subject to "intense racism" and sexism while practicing medicine. Many male physicians did not respect Crumpler and would not approve her patient prescriptions or listen to her medical opinions.
In 1883, Dr. Crumpler published A Book of Medical Discourses, a groundbreaking work based on her physician experiences. One of the first medical publications by an African American, it served as an essential guide for medical professionals and the lay public, particularly focusing on the care of women and children.
The Rebecca Lee Pre-Health Society at Syracuse University and the Rebecca Lee Society, one of the first medical societies for African-American women, were named after her.
Dr. Rebecca Lee Crumpler died of fibroid tumors on March 9, 1895, in Fairview, Massachusetts, at age 64.
Today In Black History
In 1619, William Tucker was the first African child born in the colonies.
In 1872, Black inventor T.J. Boyd was awarded a patent for his apparatus for detaching horses from carriages.
In 1883, Jan Matzeliger invented the shoe-lasting machine that revolutionized the shoe industry and made Lynn, Massachusetts, the “shoe capital of the world.”
In 1939, Langston Hughes founded the New Negro Theater in Los Angeles, California.
In 1975, James B. Parsons became the first African American chief judge of a federal court, the U.S. District Court of Chicago.
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With respect, I believe this photo is of the first Black nurse, Mary Mahoney.