Science & Medicine
Dr. Rebecca Lee Crumpler
1864
First Black woman to earn a U.S. medical degree
What Rebecca contributed
Graduated from the New England Female Medical College and practiced medicine for underserved communities.
The story
Crumpler cared for formerly enslaved people in Virginia after the Civil War. She later published A Book of Medical Discourses, drawing on her experience caring for women and children.
Why it matters
She broke a major barrier in medical education and devoted her training to people with limited access to care.
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