02/05/2026
This Black History Month, we would like to honor the first two African American physicians in US History to earn their degrees. These medical heroes are named Dr. Rebecca Crumpler and Dr James M Smith.
Dr. Rebecca Crumpler was the first African American woman to earn her degree in 1863 and published one of the first African American medical publications titled, "Dr. Rebecca Crumpler's 'Book of Medical Disclosures'. Afterwards she cared for many freed slaves in the Post Civil War Southern US in Virginia, despite the intense racism she received. Unfortunately, no photos of Dr. Crumpler survived.
Dr. James M Smith was the first African American man to earn his degree, though would not receive it in the US since every University he applied to would refuse him. He went on to obtain his degree at the Glasgow University in Scotland before returning to New York City in 1837. Aside from practicing medicine, he became broadly involved in anti-slavery and suffrage movements alongside Fredrick Douglass, Gerrit Smith, and John Brown. He also went on to disprove and debunk many racially biased medical theories, most notably ones theorized by Thomas Jefferson.
Though some might find these two obscure, both Dr. Rebecca Crumpler and Dr James M Smith played and important part in the medical field, and Black History.
Sources:
Changing the Face of Medicine, Biography of Dr Rebecca Lee Crumpler (https://cfmedicine.nlm.nih.gov/physicians/biography_73.html)
The Education and Medical Practice of Dr. James McCune Smith (1813-1865) (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2594637/?page=12)
