Episode 2: The "Mother of Modern Gynecology"?
In 1860, there were 54,543 doctors in the US. 300, or 0.5%, were women. 0 were Black women. In 1865, there was one Black woman physician: Rebecca Lee Crumpler.
Dr. Crumpler, MD, worked first as a nurse, and was so skilled that she was recommended by the doctors she worked with to the New England Female Medical College (a precursor to the Boston University Medical School). And after graduating, her real work began.
Missionary in Richmond, Virginia
Just after graduating with her MD, Dr. Crumpler spent some time working in Boston, treating mainly African-American women and children regardless of their ability to pay. But this was 1865, and she soon felt her calling elsewhere.
Following the Civil War, 4 million newly freed slaves were in need of all kinds of basic necessities, including medical care. Dr. Crumpler stepped up to provide this care, working tirelessly for the women and children whom many White Southern doctors refused to treat. Despite the racism and sexism she faced herself, including pharmacists denying her requests for prescriptions, Rebecca Lee Crumpler was not discouraged from caring for newly freed people, with a true passion for helping those who were suffering.
"Having been reared by a kind aunt in Pennsylvania, whose usefulness with the sick was continually sought, I early conceived a liking for, and sought every opportunity to be in a position to relieve the sufferings of others." -Rebecca Lee Crumpler, A Book of Medical Discourses
A Book of Medical Discourses
Later in her career, Dr. Crumpler wrote a book (likely the first medical work published by an African-American physician) dedicated to "mothers, nurses, and women generally." What little we know about Dr. Crumpler comes from this book, but only a few paragraphs are dedicated to talking about herself. In general, she was concerned just with conveying knowledge about one's own health and wellness to women, so they could make their own decisions for themselves and their children without having to rely exclusively on the (often biased) doctors.