Twice as hard The stories of Black women who fought to become physicians, from the Civil War to the 21st Century

In this well-researched reclamation of neglected yet invaluable history, Brown, a medical student at the University of Pennsylvania and a former Rhodes scholar, looks at nine trailblazing Black women who became physicians despite the odds. She notes that in 1860, when the first Black woman enrolled in medical school, women comprised only 300 out of the 54,543 physicians in the U.S. When she became the first African American woman to earn a U.S. medical degree, she "was told the M.D. at the end of her name stood for mule driver." Since then, what has changed? Today predominantly white institutions throughout the country enroll Black women medical students, and young people have role models. Brown tells the stories of such Black women physicians as Dr. Edith Irby Jones, who persevered under Jim Crow and inspired many, including Dr. Jocelyn Elders, surgeon general in the Clinton administration, who said, "You can't be what you can't see." But it's increasingly difficult for aspiring doctors to handle the astronomical medical school costs ($400,000!), and only two Black women are deans of medical schools, both at historically Black universities. Still, Brown, as remarkable as the pioneers she profiles, ends on a high note, vowing to become a "changemaker."

University of Pennsylvania medical student Brown debuts with an eye-opening history of nine African American women in medicine. Contending that Black women "have been leaders in medicine in America for over 150 years, despite the immense barriers erected along their paths," Brown profiles subjects including Rebecca Lee Crumpler (1831--1895), the first African American woman to earn a medical degree in the U.S., only 14 months after President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation; May Chinn (1896--1980), whose father escaped slavery and whose skill as a piano accompanist led to performances with Paul Robeson and friendships with writers of the Harlem Renaissance as she fought to attend medical school; and Edith Irby Jones (1927--2019), the daughter of a sharecropper whose medical school education was partially funded by Thurgood Marshall. Brown's comprehensive and moving biographies highlight each woman's singular determination as well as the importance of community-wide sacrifice and the support of historically Black colleges and universities. Throughout, Brown interweaves illuminating statistics about the medical field with insights into her own journey as a Black woman in medicine. This immersive tribute to a group of pioneering women will inspire readers of all backgrounds. (Jan.)

Inspiring stories of nine Black women physicians whose barrier-breaking achievements changed the course of American history. Brown, a Rhodes Scholar who is currently in medical school at the University of Pennsylvania, begins with Rebecca Lee Crumpler (1831-1895), the Delaware-born niece of an herbalist who "became the first African American woman to earn a medical degree in the [country] only fourteen months after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation"; and May Chinn (1896-1980), the daughter of an enslaved man and a free woman who completed her medical training while accompanying musical greats like Paul Robeson. Then the author moves on to Dorothy Ferebee, whose wealthy family helped support her studies at Tufts; Edith Irby, whose community raised the funds for her to attend the University of Arkansas, where she became the first Black woman to receive a medical degree from a predominantly White institution; and Joycelyn Elders, "the first African American, and the second woman, to be appointed surgeon general" of the U.S. Throughout, Brown incorporates her own history, recounting, for example, how she saw Elders speak on a panel or how, like Lena Edwards, Brown will be the first doctor in her family. "As I embarked on this journey to uncover the stories of black women physicians, I learned a new truth," writes the author. "Black women have been leaders in medicine in America for over 150 years, despite the immense barriers erected along their paths. They've succeeded in medical specialties, surgical specialties, public health, and policy while providing care for underserved communities." At its best, this deeply researched, profoundly felt book effectively weaves personal and historical memory into a well-argued critique of American medical education. At times, the prose is clumsy, but overall, this is a promising debut from a young author. A readable, highly relevant history of Black women physicians in the U.S. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.