February is Black History Month, an annual celebration of the achievements of Black Americans and a time for recognizing their central role in history. Take some time to learn about and recognize the many Black Americans' contributions to health care at Duke. In North Carolina, Dr. James Francis Shober became the state’s first black medical doctor in 1878, and 90 years later, in 1967, Duke graduated its first black medical student, Dr. Delano Meriwether.
While Duke Hospital admitted black patients in 1930, they were housed in separate wards until 1965; since then, Duke has focused on providing equitable care and education to all. In 1991, Dr. Norman Anderson began a research program on health, behavior, and aging in Black Americans at Duke, which is believed to be the first such program in the country. This started us on the path to improving health equity for all we serve. Information about this topic is available online from the Duke library.
This month and throughout the year, take the time to engage in conversations and expand your knowledge surrounding Duke’s Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion efforts and the activities hosted by the active Duke Student National Medical Association (SNMA) and the broader Duke School of Medicine.