In honor of Black History Month, we’re celebrating excellence in medicine.
Here are 3 medical contributions that you (probably) didn’t know came from Black doctors.
One day, one of these innovations might save your life — or the life of someone you love.
Chemotherapy
Jane Cooke Wright (1919-2013)
Do you have a mom, dad, sibling, or friend who beat cancer — thanks to chemotherapy? You have Jane Cooke Wright to thank for saving their life.
After graduating from medical school, she spent decades researching chemo drugs. She created a technique to test the effects of drugs on cancer cells using human tissue rather than lab mice. Because of her research, chemotherapy is now a widely-used treatment.
Cancer is complicated and there is no perfect cure. However, chemo remains one of the best options available and has saved millions of lives.
Blood Bank
Charles R. Drew (1904-1950)
If someone you love has ever been in a terrible accident, they were probably rushed to the hospital to get treated for blood loss.
Charles R. Drew was a medical pioneer who discovered new methods for storing blood plasma. He also started the first large-scale blood bank in the United States. Because of his efforts, thousands of soldiers' lives were saved during WWII.
Drew faced sickening racism at every turn – including from colleagues who wanted to store blood donations from Black people in one area, and blood from white people in another, despite having no medical evidence for why this “blood segregation” should be necessary.
Despite these challenges, he continued to practice medicine until the very end of his life. Charles died tragically in a car accident while driving to attend a free hospital clinic, which he attended annually. He was a hero right down to his final moments.
Bacteria Detection
Emmett Chappelle (1925-2019)
If you live in the US and you have clean, safe drinking water flowing out of your faucet, you can thank Mr. Chappelle for that.
A prolific inventor, he created a system to detect bacteria more accurately in water. Because of his findings, doctors figured out how to detect tiny amounts of bacteria in urine, so that they could detect bacterial infections faster.
Chappelle also worked for NASA and developed instruments to collect soil from the surface of Mars. Because why limit your research to just one planet?
In addition to those heroes…
Let’s give a round of applause for:
James McCune Smith, the first Black man to open his own medical practice in the United States.
Marilyn Hughes Gaston, whose research into sickle cell anemia has touched countless lives, particularly newborns.
Debi Thomas, who is not only a physician, but also an Olympic medalist in figure skating.
Research from UCLA shows that just of physicians in the United States are Black. This percentage has changed very little over the last 120 years. Further, Black physicians tend to earn less than white colleagues: per year on average. This is infuriating. But progress is always possible — and it’s in our hands. Everyday actions (like sharing an article with a friend, or making a donation to a powerful cause) can add up to big changes.
The next time you visit the doctor or grab a few items from the drug store, take a moment of gratitude for all the brilliant Black people who have dedicated their lives to keeping you well.
xo,
R
P.S. Want to make a difference and directly impact Black parents and babies? Learn more about The Hello Seven Foundation, which provides doulas, night nurses, and childcare to Black parents in need. Consider making a donation of any amount. Because thoughts and prayers are very kind, but funding is what changes society.
