Dr. Rebecca Lee Crumpler was an African American trailblazer in healthcare who challenged the prejudice that stopped African Americans and women from pursuing careers in healthcare (Rothberg, 2021). She was raised in Pennsylvania by her aunt who spent most of her life caring for the sick and as a result, Dr. Crumpler was exposed to the healthcare field incredibly early on in her life. Around 1852, she moved to Charlestown, Massachusetts where she began working as a nurse for the next 8 years until she was admitted to the New England Female Medical College. This was a huge step forward for Dr. Crumpler as at that time most medical colleges usually barred African Americans from attending (Rothberg, 2021).

In 1964, Dr. Crumpler graduated and became the first African American woman in the United States to earn a medical degree as well as the only African American woman to graduate from the New England Female Medical College. After a short while of practicing in Boston, Dr. Crumpler moved to Richmond, Virginia where, alongside other black physicians, she worked with missionary and community groups and the Freedmen’s Bureau to provide medical care for freed slaves (USA gov, 2003). Due to poverty, racism, lack of resources, and lack of connections, most of Dr. Crumpler’s patients would not have access to healthcare if not for the Freedmen’s Bureau and volunteer physicians. Dr. Crumpler would continue to work despite the extremely discriminatory environment created by her colleagues from whom she experienced sexism, racism, and rudeness (Rothberg, 2021). Dr. Crumpler returned to Boston in the late 1860s where she worked out of her home, treating patients regardless of their ability to pay. During this time, she faced many hurdles including a lack of admitting privileges to local hospitals due to her race, difficulties getting prescriptions filled by pharmacists, and mockery from administrators and fellow doctors (Rothberg, 2021).

In 1880, she retired from practicing and in 1883 she went on to publish “Book of Medical Discourses,” one of the first medical publications by an African American that detailed her journal notes throughout her years of practice. Dr. Rebecca Lee Crumpler passed away on March 9, 1895, at the age of 64 due to fibroid tumours and she was buried alongside her husband Arthur in Fairview Cemetery in the Hyde Park neighborhood. 125 years after her death, in 2020, headstones were installed for both Dr. Crumpler and her husband due to a fundraiser. Her Beacon Hill home is a monument on the Boston Women’s Heritage Trail and one of the first African American women’s medical communities is named the Rebecca Lee Society. In addition, Virginia’s mayor announced March 30, 2019 “Dr. Rebecca Lee Crumpler Day” to honour her charitable legacy (Rothberg, 2021).