Pitt renames conference room, unveils portrait to honor state's first Black woman pharmacist

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — The University of Pittsburgh is honoring a trailblazer for her work in the medical field and in civil rights.

In the recently dedicated Dr. Ella P. Stewart Conference Room at the University of Pittsburgh, a new portrait of the late doctor was unveiled Tuesday by artist Douglas Webster.

"I'm looking her up. I'm looking at all the things she has done. So, I'm in the space where I am OK, what's the equation, the formulas for pharmacy, how does it write, how is it written," Webster explained about his creative process.

Dr. Stewart graduated from the University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy in 1916. She was the first Black woman to practice pharmacy in state history and is among some of the first in the U.S.

Dr. Clyde Wilson Pickett, vice chancellor for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, said, "We stand on her shoulders, and we are all beneficiaries of her legacy."

This dedication was a collaborative project between students in the pharmacy school and university leaders. The room and portrait are both located on the fifth floor of Salk Hall at Pitt.