Henderson, Olive Myrtle

Impact on the world

Inspired by her own dentist, Ida Gray, Henderson became the second Black female dentist in Chicago and the first Black woman to graduate with a dentistry degree from Northwestern University, practicing for 40 years.

Life & background

A dentist mentored by Ida Gray Nelson Rollins, Henderson became the second African-American female dentist in Chicago and the first Black woman to graduate from Northwestern University's dental program in 1908. She practiced dentistry for four decades and was an active member of the National Association of Colored Women.

Sources

1. Delta Dental of Arizona Blog; University of Toronto Dentistry Library