01/13/2026
Dr. Mildred Fay Jefferson (1926–2010) was the first black woman to graduate from Harvard Medical School as a pioneering surgeon. Before Jefferson was born, her mother faced pressure to end her pregnancy, but chose to carry her to term. Dr. Jefferson often reflected on how that choice allowed her life — and her work caring for others — to exist. Her story is a reminder that even in moments of fear or uncertainty, human life still has value.