Rebecca Lee Crumpler: First African American women to receive a medical degree (1864). Rebecca was born in 1831 and was born free. Rebecca was raised by her aunt. Her aunt was a key influential figure in her life as she took care of the sick around the neighborhood. There were no nursing schools at the time so Rebecca learned to heal by watching her aunt and from practice. Rebecca impressed many of the doctors she came in contact with and several gave her recommendations to the New England Female Medical College in Boston where she began classes in 1860. She received her medical degree in 1864 and then moved to Richmond, Virginia after the Civil War to treat freed slaves. Rebecca married Arthur Crumpler, moved her practice to Boston where she practiced medicine until 1881 and wrote a book titled “A Book of Medical Discourses,” in 1883. Her book was written for women and focuses on the health and care of the family. Rebecca died in 1895. (As a side note, there is debate on the exact year of her birth and her husband’s occupation)
Posted on: Sun, 09 Mar 2014 07:34:12 +0000
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