1. Dorothy Lavinia Brown
Black Women Surgeon

2. Dorothy Lavinia Brown Who is she?
Not a research scientist
Not a nurses aid
But…
The First Black Women Surgeon in the South who was and is and inspiration to many

3. Dorothy Lavinia Brown
Born on January 7, 1919 in Philadelphia Pennsylvania
Parents Edna and Kevin Thomas Brown
She was placed in Troy Orphanage in New York at the age of 5 months
Stayed there until she was 12 years old
A tonsillectomy at the age of 5 -she knew she wanted to be a doctor

4. Dorothy Lavinia Brown
At the age of 12 her mother takes her out of the orphanage
Worked as a maid, dry cleaner, and in laundry for the Jarrett family
Instead of working wants to be educated
Reads the books in the Jarrett family library
Learns Algebra, Latin, and Chemistry
Finished grade school and high school in Troy, New York

5. Dorothy Lavinia Brown
Lives with her “foster parents” Samuel and Lola Redmon
Encouraged her artistic talent instead of medicine
The Methodists Women’s Group in Troy help her get money/scholarship to go to college
She attends Bennett College in Greensboro, North Carolina
Encourage her to teach instead of medicine

6. Dorothy Lavinia Brown Obtained a Bachelor of the Arts degree in 1941
After college she worked as an inspector for the Rochester Army Ordinance Department
In 1944 She entered Meharry Medical School
In 1948 she received her Medical Degree
Followed by one year internship at Harlem Hospital
Wanted to do her residency at Harlem but was rejected
5 years of residency in general surgery at Meharry Medical School and George W. Hubbard Hospital (Nashville Tennessee)

7. Dorothy Lavinia Brown….Never Gives Up
She decided she wanted to finish her surgical residency at Meharry Medical
Other male doctors/colleagues did not like the idea of a women on their team
Dr. Matthew Walker chief of surgery at Meharry agreed to give her a position
He was impressed by her determination
Gave her the nickname Dorothy “Mule” Brown

8. Dorothy Lavinia Brown Chief surgery of Riverside Hospital -1957
Clinical Professor of surgery of Meharry Medical College in 1965
Director of Student of Health Service at Fisk-Meharry
Other Activities...
Consultant for the national Heart-Lung Blood Advisory Council
Advisory Board of the Salvation Army

9. Dorothy Lavinia Brown…Inspiration to many
Lectures Nationally
Role Model
Tells children that “dreams come true and anything is possible”

10. Dorothy Lavinia Brown…Her Obstacles
After working for the Jarrett Family in Albany New York she moves back to Troy and has no place to live and no money
Before starting college she has no money to pay for school
Teachers, parents and foster parents, and advisors discouraged her from medicine
Unaccepted by other male colleagues
“Woman-Black-Poor”
Not “physically, intellectually, nor emotionally fit to perform surgery

11. Dorothy Lavinia Brown “There is a first time for everything”
Finally in 1954 she became the first black surgeon in the south
Other Firsts…
First unmarried women in the state of Tennessee to adopt
First women to be elected to the Tennessee Legislature

12. Dorothy Lavinia Brown “The Politician”
1966 was the first black women to be elected in the Tennessee State Legislature Fifth District
She wanted to liberalize state abortion laws
She wanted to legalized abortion for victims of rape and incest
She was criticized be her male colleagues
The Bill did not pass but…
Promoted a Bill that established Negro History Week in Tennessee
Eventually leads to the creation of Black History Month

13. Dorothy Lavinia Brown Awards
American College of Medicine
Nashville Academy of Medicine
R.F. Boyd Medical Society
National Medical Association
Award of Outstanding Achievement-Delta Sigma Theta Sorority 1963
Outstanding Citizen
Women of the Year
Women’s building at Meharry Medical College named after her
Honorary Doctor of Science-Russell Sage College-1972
American College of Surgeons