Rebecca Lee Crumpler
February 8, 2026
Rebecca Lee Crumpler (born Rebecca Davis, February 8, 1831 – March 9, 1895) was an American physician, nurse and author. She was the first African-American female doctor of medicine, qualifying at the New England Female Medical College in 1864.
Rebecca Lee Crumpler (1831–1895) was the first African American woman to become a medical doctor in the United States. She was also one of the first African American authors to publish a medical book.
Key Achievements
- Pioneering Physician: In 1860, Crumpler was the first and only Black woman admitted to the New England Female Medical College in Boston, where she earned her "Doctress of Medicine" degree on March 1, 1864. This was an extraordinary feat at a time when very few medical schools admitted African Americans, and only a handful of women were practicing physicians.
- Service to Freedpeople: After the Civil War ended in 1865, she moved to Richmond, Virginia, where she worked with the Freedmen's Bureau and other missionary groups to care for newly freed enslaved men, women, and children who had little to no access to medical care. She faced significant racism and sexism from her colleagues and pharmacists during this time but persisted in her work.
- Author and Advocate: In 1883, she published A Book of Medical Discourses: In Two Parts, a guidebook offering medical advice for women and children. It is believed to be the first medical text written by an African American author and emphasized preventative medicine and nutrition.
Legacy
Crumpler's work and perseverance in the face of racial and gender discrimination continue to inspire future generations of physicians. In 1989, the Rebecca Lee Society was founded to support and promote Black women physicians. Although no photos of her are known to exist, her life and contributions are commemorated through various honors, including headstones placed at her previously unmarked grave in 2020 through a community fundraising effort.