As we celebrate Black History Month, it’s important to pause and remember the achievements by Black Americans and their critical, central role in United States history. Here, we spotlight three Black women and their legacy in pharmacy.
In the face of incredible adversity, these women courageously shaped a way forward through both their work in pharmacy and civic leadership. They helped shape the political and cultural landscape of the late 1800’s and early 1900’s in their contribution to both the women’s movement and fight against Jim Crow laws, helping forge the path for Black women to pursue degrees and careers in pharmacy.
Anna Louise James
Anna Louise James behind the soda fountain in the James' pharmacy, ca. 1909-1911
Schlesinger Library, Radcliffe Institute, Harvard University
Anna Louise James was the first female Black pharmacist in the state of New York. In 1908, she became the first Black woman to graduate from the Brooklyn College of Pharmacy in New York. She then went to work for her brother-in-law, Peter Lane (one of only two Black pharmacists in early Connecticut), at his pharmacy in Old Saybrook. Anna took over the pharmacy in 1917 after Peter got called away to fight in World War I. She renamed it “James Pharmacy”. Known to the community as “Miss James”, Anna operated the pharmacy until 1967 and kept residence in an apartment in the back of the pharmacy until her death in 1977. She became one of the first women to register to vote in Old Saybrook and was politically active in supporting her party.
Sources and further reading:
https://connecticuthistory.org/anna-louise-james-makes-history-with-medicine/
Julia Pearl Hughes
Julia Hughes
Pubic domain image
Julia Pearl Hughes (Coleman-Robinson) was the first Black woman to own and operate a pharmacy in Philadelphia and potentially the entire country. She opened her drug store, Hughes Pharmacy, in 1899. Prior to this, Julia graduated from Howard University with her Pharmaceutical degree in 1897 and did post graduate work at the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy (now The University of the Sciences). Dr. Hughes also ran the hospital pharmacy at Frederick Douglas Hospital (now Mercy Douglas Hospital).
In 1909, the now Dr. Coleman and her husband, James Harold Coleman, started the Columbia Chemical Company. They created mostly beauty products, including a popular hair straightening comb. Dr. Coleman divorced her husband and moved her re-established hair care company to Washington D.C., expanded to Maryland, then moved all operations to New York.
Dr. Coleman also became a political activist and was one of the first Black women to run for political office. She was involved in numerous organizations such as the NAACP, the National Council of Negro Women, and the National Medical Association along with her local chapter of the National Urban League.
Sources and further reading:
https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/hughes-julia-pearl-1873-1950/
Photo and story about Amanda V. Gray from The Pharmaceutical Era, October 1912 (//lccn.loc.gov/sf76000120)
Amanda Gray Hilyer
Amanda Victoria Brown (Gray Hilyer) was the first Black woman to own a pharmacy in Washington D.C. and was a very influential leader for Black women pharmacists. She was a school teacher for many years before moving to Washington D.C., where she married Arthur Smith Gray. Amanda received her pharmaceutical graduate degree from the Howard University School of Pharmacy in 1903. Arthur received his pharmacy degree from Howard in 1910. Before opening Fountain Pharmacy in 1905 with Arthur, Dr. Amanda Gray was a pharmacist for the Woman’s Clinic in Washington D.C. Amanda and Arthur were active in multiple organizations including the National Medical Association, the NAACP, the Samuel Coleridge-Taylor Choral Society, and the Mu-So-Lit Club.
Dr. Amanda Gray closed the pharmacy after Arthur passed away at the age of 48. She joined the World War I efforts becoming a director of YWCA camp hostesses for Black soldiers and went on to become president of the Phyllis Wheatley YWCA for three years. In 1922, Amanda married Andrew Franklin Hilyer, a lawyer, author, and civil rights leader. After Andrew passed away in 1925, the now Dr. Hilyer continued her civic and social activities with organizations such as the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History, the Ionia R. Whipper Home, National Association of Colored Graduate Nurses and became president of the Alumni Association at Howard University.
Sources and further reading:
https://blogs.loc.gov/inside_adams/2017/06/a-family-of-pharmacists/
Though the number of Black women going into pharmacy continues to grow even today, there are still disparities in healthcare and work left to be done. In this podcast, Dr. Chisholm-Burns, Dean and Professor of the UTHSC College of Pharmacy and Professor of Surgery in the College of Medicine, shares “These disparities are so entrenched in society… We need to confront these disparities… and [we] don’t need to be in a minority population to do that. It’s going to take all of us to help make a difference and eliminate these disparities.” Dr. Chisholm-Burns goes on to discuss the importance of increased diversity among health care professionals in order to better serve our growing minority population, starting with students in pharmacy school. She stresses the importance of a diverse student body and curriculum that focuses on both majority and minority populations.
Whether in pharmacy, healthcare, or our day-to-day lives, we all play a role in creating a culture that invites everyone to the table to participate, where we all learn from each other’s differences, and everyone belongs.
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