Rebecca Lee Crumpler

First African-American female physician who transformed medical care for freed slaves

Dr. Rebecca Lee Crumpler (1831-1895) shattered racial and gender barriers by becoming America's first Black female doctor in 1864. Her seminal work "A Book of Medical Discourses" (1883) was the first medical text by an African-American author.

After Civil War, she established clinics in Richmond's impoverished communities:

• Treated over 30,000 freed slaves denied medical care
• Pioneered preventive medicine approaches
• Documented post-slavery health conditions

Facing dual discrimination, Crumpler innovated:

• Herbal remedies when drugs were unavailable
• Home sanitation protocols
• Child nutrition guidelines

The National Institutes of Health recognizes her as foundational figure in minority health advocacy. Today, the Rebecca Lee Society supports Black women in medicine, continuing her mission to democratize healthcare access.