Opening Doors: Contemporary African American Surgeons

In celebration of Black History Month, the NYU Health Sciences Libraries are pleased to announce an exhibit entitled "Opening Doors: Contemporary African American Academic Surgeons", on display in the MSB Gallery in February and March. This traveling exhibition, on loan from the National Library of Medicine, celebrates the achievements of African Americans in medicine.

Opening reception

An opening reception will take place on Wednesday, February 17 at 5:30 p.m. in the Smilow First Floor Seminar Room. The reception will feature guest speaker Dr. Levi Watkins, Jr., Professor of Surgery and Associate Dean at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, who performed the world's first implantation of the automatic defibrillator in a human. Co-sponsored by the Master Scholars Program, the Office of Diversity Affairs, and the Center for the Health of the African Diaspora.

Date & time:

02/17/2010 - 5:30pm - 7:30pm

Location:

MSB Gallery

Frederick Douglass Memorial Hospital, 1900

About the exhibit

African Americans have always practiced medicine, whether as physicians, healers, midwives, or “root doctors.” The journey of the African American physician from pre-Civil War to modern day America has been a challenging one. Early black pioneer physicians not only became skilled practitioners, they became trailblazers and educators paving the way for future physicians, surgeons, and nurses, and opening doors to better health care for the African American community.

This exhibit celebrates the achievements of African Americans in medicine by highlighting four contemporary pioneer African American surgeons and educators who exemplify excellence in their fields and believe in continuing the journey of excellence through the education and mentoring of young African Americans pursuing medical careers.

The exhibit, developed and produced by the National Library of Medicine and the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History and Culture in Baltimore, will be on display in the MSB Gallery until March 26, 2010. The exhibit and coinciding events are sponsored by the NYU Health Sciences Libraries, the Master Scholars Program, the Office of Diversity Affairs, and the Center for the Health of African Diaspora.

Related events

Guest lecture by Dr. Stanley Burns: "Shadow and Substance: Images from African America from The Burns Archive"
- Monday, March 1 (6:00-8:00pm) in the Smilow First Floor Seminar Room Read more >>
Guest lecture by Kathie-Ann Joseph, M.D.: “African-American Surgeons: Celebrating our Past, Contemplating our Future”
- Tuesday, March 9 (5:30-7:30pm) in the Smilow Multi-Purpose Room
Guest lecture: Rosalyn P. Scott, M.D. '74: “Technology, Context, Synthesis”
- Friday, March 12 (5:30 – 7:30pm) in the Smilow Multi-Purpose Room