Rebecca Lee Crumpler

Hello. My name is Rebecca Lee Crumpler, and I want to tell you my story. I was born on a chilly day, February 8th, in the year 1831. When I was a little girl, I lived in Pennsylvania with my aunt. My aunt was a very kind person who was always helping sick people in our neighborhood. She would make special teas from herbs and offer warm comfort when someone felt unwell. I loved watching her care for others with such gentle hands. Seeing her made me feel inspired, and I knew exactly what I wanted to be when I grew up. I dreamed of becoming a doctor so I, too, could help people feel healthy and strong.

When I grew up, I was ready to chase my big dream. Around the year 1852, I moved to Massachusetts and started working as a nurse. I loved helping the doctors and taking care of the patients, but I always felt like I could do more. I wanted to be the one to figure out what was making people sick and how to help them get well. In 1860, something wonderful happened. I was accepted into the New England Female Medical College. This was a very special school because it was just for women who wanted to become doctors. I studied harder than I ever had before. Then, on a very proud day in 1864, I graduated. On that day, I became the very first African American woman doctor in the entire United States. It felt like my dream had finally come true.

Soon after I became a doctor, a long and difficult war called the Civil War ended in 1865. After the war, many people needed help, especially in the South. I knew I had to go where I was needed most, so I moved to Richmond, Virginia. There, I worked for an organization called the Freedmen's Bureau. My job was very important. I took care of families who had been freed from slavery. Many of them had never been able to see a doctor before and were often very sick. The work was not always easy, but I knew that helping these families get medical care was the right thing to do.

After my time in Virginia, I moved back to Boston and opened my own medical office, where I mostly cared for women and children. I wanted to share everything I had learned with as many people as possible. So, I wrote it all down in a book called 'A Book of Medical Discourses,' which was published in 1883. I lived to be 64 years old. I am remembered for being a pioneer and opening the door so that many other African Americans and women could follow their dreams of becoming doctors. I hope my story shows you that you can achieve your dreams, no matter how big they seem.