Rebecca Lee Crumpler
Rebecca Lee Crumpler | |
---|---|
Born | Rebecca Davis February 8, 1831 |
Died | March 9, 1895 | (aged 64)
Resting place | Fairview Cemetery, Boston, Massachuetts |
Alma mater | New England Female Medical College (Now Boston University) |
Known for | First African American woman to receive a medical degree |
Spouses |
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Scientific career | |
Fields | Medicine |
Rebecca Lee Crumpler, born Rebecca Davis, (February 8, 1831 – March 9, 1895), was an American physician, nurse and author. After studying at the
Crumpler graduated from medical college at a time when very few African Americans were permitted to attend medical college or publish books. Crumpler first practiced medicine in Boston, primarily serving poor women and children. After the American Civil War ended in 1865, she moved to Richmond, Virginia, believing treating women and children was an ideal way to perform missionary work. Crumpler worked for the Freedmen's Bureau to provide medical care for freedmen and freedwomen.
Crumpler was subject to "intense racism" and sexism while practicing medicine. During this time, many men believed that a nearly immutable difference in average brain size between men and women explained the difference in social, political, and intellectual attainment.[5] Because of this, many male physicians did not respect Crumpler, and would not approve her prescriptions for patients or listen to her medical opinions.
Crumpler later moved back to Boston, where she continued to treat women and children. The Rebecca Lee Pre-Health Society at Syracuse University and the Rebecca Lee Society, one of the first medical societies for African American women, were named after her. Her Joy Street house in Beacon Hill is a stop on the Boston Women's Heritage Trail.
Early life and education
In 1831, Rebecca Lee Crumpler was born Rebecca Davis in Christiana, Delaware to Matilda Webber and Absolum Davis.[6][7] She was raised in Pennsylvania by her aunt who cared for ill townspeople.[1][2] Her aunt acted as the doctor in her community and had a huge influence on Crumpler's decision to pursue a career in medicine.[7] Crumpler moved to Charlestown, Massachusetts in 1852, where she worked as a nurse before applying and becoming accepted into the New England Female Medical College.[8] Rebecca Lee Crumpler was the only African American student at the school.[4]
Education
Nursing and medical school
From 1855 to 1864, Crumpler was employed as a nurse.[6][b] She was accepted into the New England Female Medical College in 1860.[1][2][8] She won a tuition award from the Wade Scholarship Fund, established by a bequest from local businessman John Wade of Woburn.[9]
In the mid-19th century, it was rare for women or black men to be admitted to medical school. In 1860, due to the heavy demands of medical care for American Civil War veterans,[10] opportunities increased for women physicians and doctors. Due to her talent, Crumpler was given a recommendation to attend the school by her supervising physician when she was a medical apprentice.[2][6] That year, there were 54,543 physicians in the United States, 300 of whom were women. None of them were African Americans, making Rebecca Lee Crumpler the first and only African American physician in her class.[8][c]
Crumpler graduated from New England Female Medical College in 1864
Physician
Crumpler first practiced medicine in Boston and primarily cared for poor African American women and children.[2] After the end of the American Civil War (1861–1865), she moved to Richmond, Virginia, believing it to be an ideal way to provide missionary service, as well as to gain more experience learning about diseases that affected women and children. She said of that time, "During my stay there nearly every hour was improved in that sphere of labor. The last quarter of the year 1866, I was enabled... to have access each day to a very large number of the indigent, and others of different classes, in a population of over 30,000 colored."
Crumpler worked for the Freedmen's Bureau to provide medical care to freedmen and freedwomen who were denied care by white physicians.[13] At the Freedmen's Bureau, she worked under the assistant commissioner, Orlando Brown.[8] Subject to intense racism by both the administration and other physicians,[13] she had difficulty getting prescriptions filled and was ignored by male physicians.[13] Some people heckled that the M.D. behind her name stood for "Mule Driver".[1][2][f]
Crumpler moved to 67 Joy Street in Boston,[14] a predominantly African American community in Beacon Hill. She practiced medicine and treated children without much concern for the parents' ability to pay.[1] Her house is on the Boston Women's Heritage Trail.[14]
Education
In 1860, bearing letters of recommendation from her physician-employers, Crumpler was accepted into the elite West Newton English and Classical School in Massachusetts,[2][6][15] where she was a "special student in mathematics."[6] Crumpler taught in Wilmington beginning in 1874 and in New Castle, Delaware beginning in 1876.[6]
A Book of Medical Discourses
In 1883, Crumpler published A Book of Medical Discourses from the notes she kept over the course of her medical career. Dedicated to nurses and mothers,
It may be well to state here that, 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 relieve the sufferings of others. Later in life I devoted my time, when best I could, to nursing as a business, serving under different doctors for a period of eight years; most of the time at my adopted home in Charlestown, Middlesex County, Massachusetts. From these doctors I received letters commending me to the faculty of the New England Female Medical College, whence, four years afterward, I received the degree of Doctress of Medicine.[21][22]
At the time, many writings and books by African American authors had prefaces and introductions written in the style of white male writings to give them authentication. Crumpler introduced her own text, and justifying her work based on her own authority.[19]
Personal life
While living in Charlestown, Rebecca Davis married Wyatt Lee, a
Dr. Rebecca Lee married Arthur Crumpler in
Rebecca and Arthur Crumpler were active members of the Twelfth Baptist Church, where Arthur was a trustee.[29] They had a home at 20 Garden Street in Boston.[29] Their daughter Lizzie Sinclair Crumpler was born in mid-December 1870,[32] but as no other records have been found, it is believed the child did not survive infancy. For instance, Crumpler and her husband Arthur lived in Hyde Park, Massachusetts in 1880, but they did not have a child living with them at that time.[33]
Crumpler spoke at a
Although no photographs or other images of Crumpler survive,
Rebecca Crumpler died on March 9, 1895, in Fairview, Massachusetts, while still residing in Hyde Park.[29] Arthur died in May, 1910,[38] and they are both buried at the nearby Fairview Cemetery.[38][39] Rebecca and Arthur Crumpler were buried in unmarked graves for 125 years, until 2020, when they received granite headstones for their gravesite from donations. On July 16, 2020, a ceremony was held at the Fairview Cemetery to dedicate a gravestone in memory of Rebecca Lee Crumpler and her husband Arthur.[4][40] The granite stone was the result of a fundraising appeal spearheaded by Vicky Gall, president of the Friends of the Hyde Park Library.[31]
Legacy
The Rebecca Lee Society, one of the first medical societies for African American women, was named in Crumpler's honor.[2] Her home on Joy Street is a stop on the Boston Women's Heritage Trail.[41]
In 2019, Virginia Governor Ralph Northam declared March 30 (National Doctors Day) the Dr. Rebecca Lee Crumpler Day.[4]
At Syracuse University there is a pre-health club named "The Rebecca Lee Pre-Health Society." This club encourages people of diverse backgrounds to pursue health professions. They offer mentors, workshops, and resources to help members succeed.[42]
February 8, 2021 was declared "Dr. Rebecca Lee Crumpler Day" in Boston as part of the 190th anniversary of her birth.[43]
In 2021, poet Jessy Randall honored Crumpler in a poem called "Rebecca Lee Crumpler (1831–1895)," published in the
See also
- List of African American firsts
- List of Boston University people
Notes
- ^ Rebecca Cole was previously identified as the first African American female physician. Subsequent research shows Crumpler was first (1864),[1] Cole second (1867) and Susan McKinney Steward third.[2][3]
- ^ Formal training was not required until nursing schools were established, which did not occur until 1873.[1]
- ^ The faculty was hesitant to pass Crumpler because they thought she showed slow progress in learning. They ended up passing her. The doctors whom Crumpler worked with while in medical school helped persuade the faculty to pass her.[11]
- ^ Claims have been made that she was "homeopathically trained", and gained a lot of knowledge from other pioneers in her field at the medical college.[12] However, Crumpler and the many other pioneers are not recognized, nor does "history record them as homeopathic practitioners."[12]
- ^ The school closed in 1873 due to financial issues,[12] without graduating another black woman.[1][2]
- ^ The great need for medical providers encouraged other black people to join the medical profession. Black charitable organizations and white missionary organizations provided funding for the first black medical schools.[2]
References
- ^ National Library of Medicine. Retrieved May 2, 2013.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-19-988286-1. Retrieved May 2, 2013.
- ISBN 978-0-313-39224-5. Retrieved May 3, 2013.
- ^ a b c d "Trailblazing BU Alum Gets a Gravestone 130 Years after Her Death". Boston University. August 10, 2020. Retrieved January 3, 2021.
- ^ Romanes, George John (July 1887). "Mental Differences of Men and Women". Popular Science Monthly. Vol. 31. Retrieved March 24, 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f Fay, Eugene Francis (1895). An Illustrated Biographical Catalogue of the Principals, Teachers, and Students of the West Newton English and Classical School, West Newton, Mass., 1854–1893: including an account of the re-unions November 15, 1871, and June 21, 1893. Boston: R. Avery Supply Co. p. 23.
- ^ a b "Dr. Rebecca Lee Crumpler". Changing the Face of Medicine. U.S. National Library of Medicine. Retrieved January 29, 2017.
- ^ a b c d e f g Dr. Howard Markel (March 9, 2016). "Celebrating Rebecca Lee Crumpler, first African American woman physician". PBS. Retrieved November 19, 2020.
- ^ Fissel, Brian M. (2018). "The Wade Professorship of Medicine". Aceso. 6: 11–15 – via OpenBU.
- ^ "Rebecca Lee Crumpler becomes First Black Woman to Receive M.D. Degree". The Chicago Citizen, Chatham-Southeast edition. February 24, 2014. p. 3.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-19-860669-7.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-4939-0526-3.
- ^ a b c McCloud, Melody T. (March 3, 2016). "Women's History Month Honors Rebecca Lee Crumpler, M.D. First Black Female Physician in the United States". Psych Central.com.
- ^ a b "Beacon Hill". Boston Women's Heritage Trail. Retrieved April 10, 2020.
- ^ "Newton, MA – Allen Family". Historic Newton – Newton, Massachusetts government. Archived from the original on June 15, 2018. Retrieved February 19, 2020.
- ISBN 978-0-307-56822-9. Retrieved April 17, 2015.
- ^ a b Crumpler, Rebecca Lee (1883). A Book of Medical Discourses -In Two Parts. Boston: Cashman, Keating, & Co. pp. 3–4.
- ^ Crumpler, Rebecca Lee (1883). A Book of Medical Discourses – In Two Parts. Boston: Cashman, Keating, & Co.
- ^ S2CID 165549022.
- ^ Crumpler, Rebecca Lee (1883). A Book of Medical Discourses – In Two Parts. Boston: Cashman, Keating, & Co. pp. 5–6.
- ^ Gregory, MD, Samuel (1868). Doctor or Doctress?. Boston: Trustees of New England Female Medical College. p. 8.
- ^ Crumpler, MD, Rebecca (1883). A Book of Medical Discourses: In Two Parts. Boston: Cashman & Keating CO. p. 158.
- ^ Wyatt Lee and Rebecca Davis marriage, Massachusetts, Marriage Records, 1840–1915. Massachusetts Vital and Town Records., April 19, 1852
- ^ Marriage Intentions, 1849–1858; Vol. 3. Massachusetts, Town and Vital Records, 1620–1988
- ^ Albert Lee, Massachusetts, Death Records, 1841–1915
- ^ "Wyatt Lee, registered April 18, 1863, death April 17, 1863", Deaths in Boston, Town and City Clerks of Massachusetts. Massachusetts Vital and Town Records., 1863
- ^ "Marriage announcements". The Religious Intelligencer. Saint John, New Brunswick. June 2, 1865.
- ISBN 978-1-4456-5004-3.
- ^ a b c d e f Anthony W. Neal (September 5, 2012). "Dr. Crumpler: Nation's first African American woman physician". The Bay State Banner. Retrieved February 22, 2017.
- ^ "Boston's Oldest Pupil: He's 74, and He Goes to the Evening School". The Boston Sunday Globe. April 3, 1898. p. 25 – via newspapers.com (clipping).
- ^ a b MacQuarrie, Brian (July 17, 2020). "Gravestone dedicated to the first Black female medical doctor in the US". The Boston Globe. Archived from the original on July 18, 2020. Retrieved February 23, 2024.
- ^ Massachusetts, Birth Records, 1840–1915, [Lizzie Sinclair Crumpler, December 1870, Boston, Massachusetts, Arthur and Rebecca Crumpler]
- ^ "Rebecca and Arthur Crumpler", Hyde Park, Norfolk, Massachusetts, United States Federal Census, Washington, D.C.: National Archives, 1880
- ^ "The Colored People's Memorial". The News Journal. Wilmington, Delaware. March 17, 1874. p. 1 – via newspapers.com (clipping).
- ^ Herbison, Matt (June 18, 2013). "Is That Dr. Rebecca Lee Crumpler? Misidentification, Copyright, and Pesky Historical Details". Drexel University. Retrieved August 3, 2021.
- ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved October 18, 2022.
- ISBN 978-1-68335-629-5.
- ^ a b "Ex-slave laid to rest". The Boston Globe. May 11, 1910. p. 4. Retrieved February 20, 2020.
- ISBN 978-0-307-42625-3.
- ^ Brian MacQuarrie, "Gravestone Dedicated to the First Black Female Medical Doctor in the US." Boston Globe, July 18, 2020, p. B1.
- ^ "Beacon Hill". Boston Women's Heritage Trail.
- ^ "Rebecca Lee Pre-Health Society". orgsync.com. Archived from the original on November 14, 2018. Retrieved April 28, 2018.
- ^ "Boston Honors Trailblazing School of Medicine Alum Rebecca Lee Crumpler (MED 1864) Monday". Bostonia. February 7, 2021. Archived from the original on January 5, 2024. Retrieved January 5, 2024.
- ISBN 978-1440875359.
- ISBN 978-1913380489.
Further reading
- "Female Medical College of 100 Years Ago Had Two Professors and Not Even a Skeleton", O'Brien, Mary; Daily Boston Globe (1928–1960); October 21, 1948; p. 20.
External links
- Rebecca Lee Crumpler, First African American Woman Doctor
- Works by or about Rebecca Lee Crumpler at Internet Archive