Leffall, LaSalle Doheny Jr.

1930-2019 · Contribution: 1962-2013

Surgical oncologist

First African American president of the American Cancer Society and the American College of Surgeons; trained nearly 300 surgical residents and roughly 6,000 medical students over more than 50 years at Howard University

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Science & Medicine

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Quick facts

Born
1930, Tallahassee, Florida
Active since
1957
Category
Science & Medicine
Best known for
First Black president of the American Cancer Society and American College of Surgeons

Impact on the world

Leffall used the leadership of America's major surgical and cancer organizations to confront the higher cancer burden borne by Black Americans, while training a large share of the nation's Black surgeons.

An alternative history

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Sources

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    National Library of Medicine (Opening Doors exhibit)

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