Is There a Doctor in the House?

Do you have relatives that were doctors or dentists and graduated from Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tennessee early in the 20th century?  If so, you need to check out the link to the Meharry Medical College Archives page at http://library.mmc.edu/catalogues/index.html.  Meharry was the number one college to graduate black doctors and dentists at the turn of the 20th century.  At the site is a link entitled Meherry Medical College:  Its History, Its Works Its Needs [1908] that not only shows the offices of some of its graduates, but the photo of the entire 1908 graduating class and some of their homes as well. 

Graduates came from all over the country and went back to their home states to practice.  Within this one publication (there are many listed) are photographs of the offices or residences of M.C. Brown, MD, of Alexandria, LA; J.P. Miller, MD, Fernandia, FLA; and A.F. Perry, MD, Chicago, Ill.  Dr. E.B. Jefferson, DDS of Nashville, Tenn. is shown in the “operating room” performing his dentistry on a patient. 

An excerpt from the text of the scanned booklet reads:

“In the early years of this work doubts were frequently expressed regarding the ability and fitness of colored physicians for the successful practice of this most responsible calling.  The experience of the last thirty-two years shows that these fears were unfounded.  Their success in their professional work has been greater than their most sanguine friends had even hoped.  They have been well received and kindly treated by the white physicians of the South, and have been liberally patronized by their own people, and have been a potent factor in promoting good understanding between the two races.” 

You can also “save a copy” for yourself on your computer by clicking on the link on the top left hand side of the viewing screen (at least it works from an MS Windows platform with Internet Explorer).