Jefferson, Mildred Fay

1926-2010 · Contribution: 1951

Surgeon

First African-American woman to earn a medical degree from Harvard Medical School

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Science & Medicine

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Quick facts

Born
1926, Pittsburg, Texas
Active since
1951
Category
Science & Medicine
Best known for
First Black woman to graduate from Harvard Medical School

Impact on the world

Jefferson broke multiple barriers for Black women in surgery, then became one of the most visible figures in the anti-abortion movement, drawing on her identity as a physician.

An alternative history

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Sources

  1. Source lookup

    Harvard Radcliffe Institute Schlesinger Library

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