February is Black History Month, a time to honor leaders and remember events in the history of the African diaspora! In medicine, we have had countless black pioneers advance clinical practice and promote equality through their many achievements. Here are two to keep in our thoughts as we go through the month:
- James McCune Smith, MD – the first African-American to receive a medical degree (in 1837), and the first African-American physician to be published in U.S. medical journals
- Rebecca Lee Crumpler, MD – the first African-American woman to receive a medical degree (in 1864). She also wrote A Book of Medical Discourses: In Two Parts (1883), shedding light on and advocating for children’s and women’s health.
San Diego also has a number of cultural sites to visit if you are interested in learning more about black history! Here are five:
- Breaking of the Chains Monument (Marina District): a large, tall, polished metal sculpture created in 1995 as a monument dedicated to the fight for civil rights
- San Diego African American Museum of Fine Arts (Valencia Park): a museum that collects and preserves fine art by African Americans and offers educational programs
- African Museum Casa del Rey Moro (Old Town): a museum with a focus on African American, African Spanish, and African Mexican heritage
- Malcolm X Library and Performing Arts Center (Lincoln Park): a library full of books, newspapers, and magazines that pertain to the African Diaspora experience
- World Beat Center (Balboa Park): A non-profit multicultural arts organization “dedicated to promoting, presenting and preserving the African Diaspora and indigenous cultures of the world through music, art, dance, education, sustainability, and technology.”
