Hyde Park Historical Society celebrates medical pioneer Dr. Rebecca Lee Crumpler
HYDE PARK – The Hyde Park Historical Society is honoring a true pioneer during Women's History Month.
"We all learn from history and by telling stories. It can encourage people to do similar activities," Victoria Gall of the Hyde Park Historical Society said.
As the Hyde Park Library celebrates local impactful women, one of the key figures they feature is Dr. Rebecca Lee Crumpler, a doctor from the 1880s.
Crumpler was the first Black woman in the United States to earn a medical degree.
"Dr. Crumpler focused on the care of women and children and she did that from the experience she had seen, seeing the health and problems with the women and children of Boston," Gall said.
There are only likenesses of Crumpler. But she was a trailblazer. She wrote one of the first books of medicine written by an African American
"What she did was all the notes that she took from treating or caring for mothers, children and adult men," Gall said. "She put in a book called the Book of Medical Discourses. This book has information written in 1883. So 140 years ago she wrote this book and some of it is true now."
In 2021, the City of Boston recognized Crumpler by making February 8 Rebecca Lee Crumpler Day and commissioning a headstone for her grave.
"They recognized her significance and you can find many more articles about her and they talk about her more in children's books," Gall said.