02/12/2026
February is Black History Month, and today we honor Dr. Rebecca Lee Crumpler, the first African American woman to earn a medical degree in the United States.
In 1864, at a time when both her race and her gender stood in the way of opportunity, Dr. Crumpler chose service. She went on to care for formerly enslaved individuals after the Civil War and later published one of the first medical texts written by an African American physician.
She once wrote, “It may be well to state here that, having been reared by a kind aunt in Pennsylvania, whose usefulness with the sick was continually sought, I early conceived a liking for, and sought every opportunity to relieve the sufferings of others.”
That desire to relieve suffering and serve with purpose continues to define the very best of healthcare.
Her example reminds us that healthcare is more than treatment. It is service, empathy, and a commitment to caring for people in every season of life. Those values continue to guide healthcare professionals across Florida and beyond.
Today, we honor her legacy and the many healthcare leaders who continue to open doors, expand access, and serve with courage. 💙
If you’d like to learn more about Dr. Crumpler’s life and contributions to medicine, you can read more here:
Rebecca Lee Crumpler challenged the prejudice that prevented African Americans from pursuing careers in medicine to became the first African American woman in the United States to earn an M.D. degree, a distinction formerly credited to Rebecca Cole. Although little has survived to tell the story of....
