Black History Month: Impact in Health Care

Since its beginning, amazing professionals in the medical field such as nurses, doctors, researchers, and surgeons have pushed the boundaries of what the field can do to improve the lives of people every day. The medical field serves a diverse population, and diverse practitioners who dedicate their lives to improving those of their communities fill it with their knowledge, practices, and contributions. Look at the ways Black History Month has improved the medical field through its recognition of Black medical professionals, their contributions to the medical field, and the rediscovery of Black history in medicine.

What Is Black History Month?

Black History Month is an observance in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and Ireland during which those regions explore the history of Black people around the world, plus their achievements and contributions to different fields. Read below to learn more about the origins and purpose of Black History Month in the United States:

Origins and Purpose

In 1926, a Black historian named Dr. Carter G. Woodson started a movement in academia to celebrate Black history formally. He chose the second week of February, encouraging other historians to focus on the contributions of Black individuals in their course lectures during this time. Dr. Woodson hoped this movement would spread to public schools in the U.S., allowing young students to learn new information often omitted from mainstream history classes.

He chose this week for two reasons. The first is that February 14 was the day Frederick Douglass celebrated his own birthday, and Abraham Lincoln was born on February 12. The second reason is that was already popular among Black Americans to celebrate Douglass on that day.

In the following six years, the observance spread across educational institutions, Black cultural centers, and community centers across the U.S., leading to its national recognition by President Gerald Ford in 1976. After the announcement, Black communities around the world embraced the month with enthusiasm. Other people who embraced Black History Month include educators across the public K-12 education system, professors and scholars in colleges and universities, and progressive members of other communities. With the original purpose of increasing awareness about Black history, the observance has motivated schools in the U.S. to provide students with important knowledge about Black historical figures, past civil rights movements, and relevant current events.

Black History Month in Health Care

Black History Month recognizes the major advancements of Black scholars, nurses, doctors, and surgeons in the medical field. One benefit Black History Month has created in the medical field is a focus on the achievements of notable Black figures.

Notable Figures in Health Care

There are many notable Black figures in medicine. Below are descriptions of Black medical professionals and their contributions to the field:

· Dr. Daniel Hale Williams: Dr. Williams performed the first successful open-heart surgery in the U.S. in 1893. He also founded the Provident Hospital and Training School for Nurses, which is the first Black-owned hospital in the U.S., in 1891.

· Dr. William Augustus Hinton: In 1936, Dr. Hinton was the first Black physician to publish a medical textbook, called Syphilis and Its Treatment.

· Dr. Charles Richard Drew: Dr. Drew was one of the first blood plasma researchers, particularly noted for helping create the blood transfusion process  and developing the nation's first large blood bank.

· Dr. Austin Maurice Curtis, Sr.: Dr. Curtis was a Harvard University professor of surgery for 25 years. He also was the first Black surgeon on staff at the Cook County Hospital, which was a desegregated medical facility in Chicago, Illinois.

· Dr. Nathan Francis Mossell: Dr. Mossell founded the Frederick Douglass Memorial Hospital and Training School for Nurses in Philadelphia in 1895, which served underrepresented Black Americans in the area and allowed Black physicians to complete medical internships.

· Mary Eliza Mahoney: After completing a graduate program at the New England Hospital for Women and Children, Mary Mahoney was the first professional Black nurse in the U.S. to hold a nursing license. She started her prolific career in 1879.

· Dr. James McCune Smith: Dr. Smith was the first Black American to earn a medical degree and published seminal work to counter anti-Black prejudice in the medical field. He earned his degree from the University of Glasgow in 1837.

· Dr. David Jones Peck: Dr. Peck was the first Black person to earn a medical degree from a U.S. college. He earned his degree from Rush Medical College in 1847.

· Dr. James Francis Shober: Dr. Shober was the first known Black physician to practice medicine in the state of North Carolina.

· Dr. Rebecca Lee Crumpler: Dr. Crumpler was the first Black woman to earn a medical degree in the U.S. She earned her degree in 1864 from the New England Female Medical College in Boston.

· Dr. Charles DeWitt Watts: Dr. Watts spent over 50 years fighting for civil and human rights in the medical field. He focused on improving the quality of care for underprivileged and underrepresented residents in Durham, North Carolina.

· Dr. David Satcher: In 1998, Dr. Satcher became the 16th Surgeon General in the U.S.  He was also the director of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) before this appointment.

· Dr. Mae C. Jemison: In 1987, Dr. Jemison became the first Black female astronaut for NASA  .During her time aboard the space shuttle Endeavour, she used her medical background to conduct experiments in life sciences.

How Can Black History Month Help Create a Better Health Care System for Everyone?

Taking part in Black History Month can help improve the quality of health care in general. For example, learning about the disparities in the quality of health care between Black patients and non-Black patients can help with determining how to create systems that support their medical needs. In addition, learning about which illnesses often affect the Black community (7) can enhance treatment plans. Creating more educational opportunities for Black medical professionals can result in a more diverse and robust health care system for all. Black History Month highlights the important contributions Black professionals have made to the health care field, improving the lives of all those who require medical services in the U.S.

To learn more about Concorde and the hands-on training provided as part of our Patient Care Programs, you can contact us through our website, or call us at 1-800-693-7010.

1. "How Negro History Week Became Black History Month and Why It Matters Now," New York Times, https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/us/history-of-black-history-month.html

2. "Meet the man who created Black History Month," CNN, https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/01/us/history-of-black-history-month-trnd/index.html

3. "Black History Month: A Medical Perspective: Education," Duke University Medical Center Library & Archives, Education - https://guides.mclibrary.duke.edu/blackhistorymonth/education

4. "Charles Richard Drew: Father of the Blood Bank," American Chemical Society, https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/education/whatischemistry/african-americans-in-sciences/charles-richard-drew.html

5. "David Satcher: Biography," American Program Bureau, Inc., https://www.apbspeakers.com/speaker/david-satcher/

6. "Mae Jemison," National Women's History Museum, https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/mae-jemison

7. "Celebrate African American History Month!," Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, https://www.cdc.gov/healthequity/features/african-american-history/index.html