Year: 1824

Who: James McCune Smith

Where: Long Island, New York

James McCune Smith (April 18, 1813 – November 17, 1865) was a pioneering physician, apothecary, abolitionist, and author. Born in New York City, Smith faced the challenges of being born to a mother who purchased her own freedom and a father of uncertain status. He attended the African Free School in New York, where he was chosen at age eleven to address the Marquis de Lafayette during his visit in 1824.

Denied admission to American medical schools due to racial discrimination, Smith traveled to Glasgow University in Scotland, earning his medical degree in 1837—the first African American to do so. Upon returning to the U.S., he became the first African American to operate a pharmacy and served as the physician for the Colored Orphan Asylum in Manhattan for nearly two decades.

Beyond his medical practice, Smith was a prominent abolitionist. He co-founded the National Council of Colored People with Frederick Douglass in 1853, aiming to combat racial injustices. Smith also contributed articles to medical journals and participated in learned societies, using his platform to challenge prevailing racist ideologies and advocate for the rights and capabilities of African Americans.

James McCune Smith's legacy is a testament to resilience and intellectual prowess, highlighting his critical role in advancing both medical science and the fight for racial equality in 19th-century America.

Sources:

Websites:

• Curriculum Concepts International. (n.d.). James McCune Smith Pharmacy. Mapping the African American Past. Columbia University. https://maap.columbia.edu/place/21.html                                                                                                                  

•  Greene, B. (2021, February 26). America’s First Black Physician Sought to Heal a Nation’s Persistent Illness. Smithsonian Magazine. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/james-mccune-smith-america-first-black-physician-180977110/