The History of African Americans and Organized Medicine
Segregation and racism within the medical profession have, and continue to, profoundly impact the African American community. Yet, the complex history of race in the medical profession is rarely acknowledged and often misunderstood. The AMA Institute for Ethics invited a panel of experts to review and analyze the historical roots of the black-white divide in American medicine. The following is a summary of the panel's findings, along with other resources.
Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) article
Journal of the National Medical Association articles—published July 2009
Creating a Segregated Medical Profession: African American Physicians and Organized Medicine, 1846-1910
A Shared Commitment to Ending Disparities in Care
By NMA President, Dr. Willarda V. Edwards and AMA President, J. James Rohack, MD.
Historical timeline
1870 National Medical Journal article
American Medical Association archives
The AMA apology to the National Medical Association House of Delegates, July 30, 2008
Slides shown to the National Medical Association House of Delegates, July 30, 2008
American Physicians presentation slides