“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. Later in life I devoted my time, when best I could, to nursing as a business, serving under different doctors for a period of eight years from 1852 to 1860; most of the time at my adopted home in Charlestown, Middlesex County, Massachusetts. From these doctors I received letters commending me to the faculty of the New England Female Medical College, whence, four years afterward, I received the degree of doctress of medicine.”
“[A] proper field for real missionary work, and one that would present ample opportunities to become acquainted with the diseases of women and children. During my stay there [in Richmond, Virginia] nearly every hour was improved in that sphere of labor. The last quarter of the year 1866, I was enabled . . . to have access each day to a very large number of the indigent, and others of different classes, in a population of over 30,000 colored.”1
Dr. Crumpler became the first African American woman to earn an M.D. in 1864 when she graduated from New England Female Medical College. Her Book of Medical Discourses published in 1883 was one of the first medical publications by an African American. Crumpler was raised by an aunt who spent much of her time caring for sick neighbors. Not much is known about Dr. Crumpler other than what was contained in the introduction to her book and there are no surviving photos or images.2
1Rebecca Lee Crumpler: Biography, Serving History
2Dr. Rebecca Lee Crumpler, Changing the face of medicine
