Dorothy Lavinia Brown

Black Women Surgeon

Dorothy Lavinia BrownWho is she?

• Not a research scientist• Not a nurses aid

But…

The First Black Women Surgeon in the South who was and is and inspiration to

many

Dorothy Lavinia Brown

• Born on January 7, 1919 in Philadelphia Pennsylvania

• Parents Edna and Kevin Thomas Brown• She was placed in Troy Orphanage in

New York at the age of 5 months• Stayed there until she was 12 years old

• A tonsillectomy at the age of 5 -she knew she wanted to be a doctor

Dorothy Lavinia Brown

• At the age of 12 her mother takes her out of the orphanage

• Worked as a maid, dry cleaner, and in laundry for the Jarrett family

• Instead of working wants to be educated• Reads the books in the Jarrett family library

• Learns Algebra, Latin, and Chemistry

• Finished grade school and high school in Troy, New York

Dorothy Lavinia Brown

• Lives with her “foster parents” Samuel and Lola Redmon

• Encouraged her artistic talent instead of medicine

• The Methodists Women’s Group in Troy help her get money/scholarship to go to college

• She attends Bennett College in Greensboro, North Carolina

• Encourage her to teach instead of medicine

Dorothy Lavinia Brown

• Obtained a Bachelor of the Arts degree in 1941• After college she worked as an inspector for the

Rochester Army Ordinance Department• In 1944 She entered Meharry Medical School

• In 1948 she received her Medical Degree • Followed by one year internship at Harlem Hospital

• Wanted to do her residency at Harlem but was rejected

• 5 years of residency in general surgery at Meharry Medical School and George W. Hubbard Hospital

(Nashville Tennessee)

Dorothy Lavinia Brown….Never Gives Up

• She decided she wanted to finish her surgical residency at Meharry Medical

• Other male doctors/colleagues did not like the idea of a women on their team

• Dr. Matthew Walker chief of surgery at Meharry agreed to give her a position

• He was impressed by her determination• Gave her the nickname Dorothy “Mule”

Brown

Dorothy Lavinia Brown

• Chief surgery of Riverside Hospital -1957• Clinical Professor of surgery of Meharry

Medical College in 1965• 1971-73 Director of Student of Health

Service at Fisk-MeharryOther Activities...

• Consultant for the national Heart-Lung Blood Advisory Council

• Advisory Board of the Salvation Army

Dorothy Lavinia Brown…Inspiration to many

• Lectures Nationally

• Role Model

• Tells children that “dreams come true and anything is possible”

Dorothy Lavinia Brown…Her Obstacles

• After working for the Jarrett Family in Albany New York she moves back to Troy and has no place to

live and no money• Before starting college she has no money to pay

for school• Teachers, parents and foster parents, and advisors

discouraged her from medicine• Unaccepted by other male colleagues

• “Woman-Black-Poor”• Not “physically, intellectually, nor emotionally fit

to perform surgery

Dorothy Lavinia Brown“There is a first time for everything”

• Finally in 1954 she became the first black surgeon in the south

• Other Firsts…• First unmarried women in the state of

Tennessee to adopt• First women to be elected to the

Tennessee Legislature

Dorothy Lavinia Brown“The Politician”

• 1966 was the first black women to be elected in the Tennessee State Legislature Fifth District

• She wanted to liberalize state abortion laws• She wanted to legalized abortion for victims of

rape and incest• She was criticized be her male colleagues

• The Bill did not pass but…• Promoted a Bill that established Negro History

Week in Tennessee• Eventually leads to the creation of Black History

Month

Dorothy Lavinia BrownAwards

• American College of Medicine• Nashville Academy of Medicine

• R.F. Boyd Medical Society • National Medical Association

• Award of Outstanding Achievement-Delta Sigma Theta Sorority 1963

• Outstanding Citizen• Women of the Year

• Women’s building at Meharry Medical College named after her

• Honorary Doctor of Science-Russell Sage College-1972• American College of Surgeons