By Thomas H.
JEVS Care at Home (JCAH) provides in-home support for older adults and people with disabilities. JCAH is different from other home care agencies because we have our own team of nurses who make sure each person’s care plan is right for them.
To kick off Black History Month, JCAH celebrates Rebecca Lee Crumpler. Born in 1831, Rebecca was a nurse, doctor, and writer. Today she is seen as an important pioneer in American medicine.
As a girl, Rebecca often helped her aunt, who was a midwife and healer. She was a great student and later became a nurse. She wanted to devote her life to helping others feel better. She went on to study medicine at New England Female Medical College, which is now part of Boston University School of Medicine. In 1864, she made history by becoming the first black woman in the U.S. to earn a medical degree.
After the Civil War, Rebecca went to Virginia to help newly freed slaves who needed medical attention. Her work showed other doctors that many slaves became sick because of poor living conditions.
Rebecca also wrote what is thought to be the first medical book by a black person, called A Book of Medical Discourses: In Two Parts. It focuses on caring for women and children.
Rebecca Lee Crumpler continues to inspire nurses and caregivers everywhere.
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