Mildred Fay Jefferson
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Mildred Fay Jefferson (April 6, 1927 – October 15, 2010) was an American
physician A physician, medical practitioner (British English), medical doctor, or simply doctor is a health professional who practices medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring health through the Medical education, study, Med ...
and
anti-abortion Anti-abortion movements, also self-styled as pro-life movements, are involved in the abortion debate advocating against the practice of abortion and its Abortion by country, legality. Many anti-abortion movements began as countermovements in r ...
activist Activism consists of efforts to promote, impede, direct or intervene in social, political, economic or environmental reform with the desire to make changes in society toward a perceived common good. Forms of activism range from mandate build ...
. The first black woman to graduate from
Harvard Medical School Harvard Medical School (HMS) is the medical school of Harvard University and is located in the Longwood Medical and Academic Area, Longwood Medical Area in Boston, Massachusetts. Founded in 1782, HMS is the third oldest medical school in the Un ...
, the first woman to graduate in surgery from Harvard Medical School, and the first woman to become a member of the Boston Surgical Society, she is known for her
opposition to the legalization of abortion Anti-abortion movements, also self-styled as pro-life movements, are involved in the abortion debate advocating against the practice of abortion and its Abortion by country, legality. Many anti-abortion movements began as countermovements in r ...
and her work as president of the
National Right to Life Committee The National Right to Life Committee (NRLC) is the oldest and largest national anti-abortion organization in the United States with affiliates in all 50 states and more than 3,000 local chapters nationwide. Since the 1980s, NRLC has influenc ...
.


Personal life

Born in
Pittsburg, Texas Pittsburg is a city in, and the county seat of, Camp County, Texas, Camp County, Texas, United States. Best known as the former home of the giant poultry producer Pilgrim's Corp, Pilgrim's and of racing legend Carroll Shelby, as well as the popula ...
, Jefferson was the only child of Millard and Guthrie Jefferson, a
Methodist Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a Protestant Christianity, Christian Christian tradition, tradition whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's brother ...
minister, and a
school teacher A teacher, also called a schoolteacher or formally an educator, is a person who helps students to acquire knowledge, competence, or virtue, via the practice of teaching. ''Informally'' the role of teacher may be taken on by anyone (e.g. w ...
. Her parents divorced before 1976 and lived in Roxbury after their divorce. Jefferson was raised in
Carthage, Texas Carthage is a city in and the county seat of Panola County, Texas, United States. The city is situated in deep East Texas, 20 miles west of the Louisiana state line. Its population was 6,569 at the 2020 census. History Carthage was founded in ...
, in the Wesley-
Calvinist Reformed Christianity, also called Calvinism, is a major branch of Protestantism that began during the 16th-century Protestant Reformation. In the modern day, it is largely represented by the Continental Reformed Protestantism, Continenta ...
tradition. Note, this is the first part of the article, which i
continued on page A17
At a young age, "Millie" followed the town doctor around on his horse drawn buggy while he made housecalls, this would later inspire her to become a doctor. Jefferson married in 1963 to Shane Cunningham, whom she met on a skiing trip, a real estate manager. As of 1976, the couple lived in
Back Bay Back Bay is an officially recognized Neighborhoods in Boston, neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, built on Land reclamation, reclaimed land in the Charles River basin. Construction began in 1859, as the demand for luxury housing exceeded the ...
and had no children.


Education

For elementary and middle school she attended public schools in East Texas. Later she earned her
bachelor's degree A bachelor's degree (from Medieval Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six years ...
a bachelor’s degree summa cum laude and in three years from
Texas College Texas College is a private, historically black Christian Methodist Episcopal college in Tyler, Texas. It is affiliated with the United Negro College Fund. It was founded in 1894 by a group of ministers affiliated with the Christian Methodist Ep ...
. Since she was considered too young to attend medical school, she went to
Tufts University Tufts University is a private research university in Medford and Somerville, Massachusetts, United States, with additional facilities in Boston and Grafton, as well as Talloires, France. Tufts also has several Doctor of Physical Therapy p ...
where she received her
master's degree A master's degree (from Latin ) is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional prac ...
in biology. She then went on to
Harvard Medical School Harvard Medical School (HMS) is the medical school of Harvard University and is located in the Longwood Medical and Academic Area, Longwood Medical Area in Boston, Massachusetts. Founded in 1782, HMS is the third oldest medical school in the Un ...
and graduated in 1951, becoming the first black woman to do so.


Harvard Medical School

Mildred Fay Jefferson was the first African American woman to graduate from Harvard Medical School in 1951. Her interests focused on medical jurisprudence, medical ethics, and particularly the societal and public policy impacts of combining medicine and law. She shifted to surgery during her first few years at
Harvard Medical School Harvard Medical School (HMS) is the medical school of Harvard University and is located in the Longwood Medical and Academic Area, Longwood Medical Area in Boston, Massachusetts. Founded in 1782, HMS is the third oldest medical school in the Un ...
and began clinical studies, and learned operational and surgical techniques. Two of her mentors—Dr. Carl Walter (the head of the surgical department) and Dr. David Hume (one of her professors, and the chief resident at the time)—gave her opportunities to put in extra time to advance her surgical skillset. Being the hard worker she was, she used these extra hours to get ahead, and by the time she obtained an internship, her skillset was well prepared. During Dr. Jefferson's third and fourth years at
Harvard Medical School Harvard Medical School (HMS) is the medical school of Harvard University and is located in the Longwood Medical and Academic Area, Longwood Medical Area in Boston, Massachusetts. Founded in 1782, HMS is the third oldest medical school in the Un ...
, she took a variety of courses including an elective in urology "because most people think that a woman doctor would not be strong in urology."


Career

Jefferson achieved
board certification Board certification is the process by which a physician, veterinarian, or other professional demonstrates a mastery of advanced knowledge and skills through written, oral, practical, or simulator-based testing. Certification bodies There are mor ...
in surgery in 1972. After graduating from medical school, she did a surgical internship at
Boston City Hospital The Boston City Hospital (1864–1996), in Boston, Massachusetts, was a public hospital located in the South End. It was "intended for the use and comfort of poor patients, to whom medical care will be provided at the expense of the city, and ...
, becoming the first woman to do so. She was also the first female doctor at the former
Boston University Medical Center Boston Medical Center (BMC) is a non-profit 514-bed academic medical center and safety-net hospital in the South End neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts. As part of the Boston Medical Center Health System, the hospital provides primary and sp ...
. By 1984, Jefferson was a
general surgeon In medicine, a surgeon is a medical doctor who performs surgery. Even though there are different traditions in different times and places, a modern surgeon is a licensed physician and received the same medical training as physicians before spec ...
at the center and a professor of surgery at the
Boston University School of Medicine The Boston University School of Medicine (formally the Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine) is the medical school of Boston University, a private university, private research university in Boston, Boston, Massachusetts. It was founded in ...
. Note - this is the first section of the news article
part 2 appears on p. 2B
She would later become the first woman to become a member of the Boston Surgical Society.


Right-to-life activism

According to Jefferson, one root of her opposition to abortion was her dedication to the Hippocratic oath, which morally bound her to the preservation of life. Her interest in abortion issues was triggered when she was asked to sign a petition opposing a resolution proposed by the
American Medical Association The American Medical Association (AMA) is an American professional association and lobbying group of physicians and medical students. This medical association was founded in 1847 and is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. Membership was 271,660 ...
supporting liberalization of abortion-related laws. Her activism began in 1970, with a role in the board of governors on The Value of Life Committee (VOLCOM). In 1972, she left her role on VOLCOM to found the Massachusetts Citizens for Life (MCFL) and also helped found the
National Right to Life Committee The National Right to Life Committee (NRLC) is the oldest and largest national anti-abortion organization in the United States with affiliates in all 50 states and more than 3,000 local chapters nationwide. Since the 1980s, NRLC has influenc ...
(NRLC). She became the vice president of the National Right to Life Committee in 1973 and then was elected as chairman of the board the following year. Dr. Jefferson then was elected as president of NRLC, serving three terms from 1975 to 1978. She played a key role in all of these organizations by emphasizing the importance of preserving human life from conception to death. Jefferson concurrently wrote a column, "Lifelines", in the National Right to Life News publication. She served on the boards of more than 30 groups opposing abortion, euthanasia, human cloning, and embryonic stem cell research. Within the black community Jefferson advocated for the pro-life cause by becoming a member of Black Americans for Life. In 1975, Jefferson was the first witness for the prosecution in the
manslaughter Manslaughter is a common law legal term for homicide considered by law as less culpable than murder. The distinction between murder and manslaughter is sometimes said to have first been made by the ancient Athenian lawmaker Draco in the 7th ce ...
case levied against Kenneth Edelin for his performance of a legal abortion. It was in 1980 that Jefferson helped the
National Right to Life Committee The National Right to Life Committee (NRLC) is the oldest and largest national anti-abortion organization in the United States with affiliates in all 50 states and more than 3,000 local chapters nationwide. Since the 1980s, NRLC has influenc ...
start a political action committee because she believed it was important to lobby and support
anti-abortion Anti-abortion movements, also self-styled as pro-life movements, are involved in the abortion debate advocating against the practice of abortion and its Abortion by country, legality. Many anti-abortion movements began as countermovements in r ...
candidates for office. While a Republican, she helped Democrat
Ellen McCormack Ellen Cullen McCormack (September 15, 1926 – March 27, 2011) was an American politician who was a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1976. Early life On September 15, 1926, Eleanor Rose Cullen was born in The Bronx ...
run for the Democratic Party presidential nomination in 1976. Apart from NRLC, Jefferson served on boards of directors of more than 30
anti-abortion Anti-abortion movements, also self-styled as pro-life movements, are involved in the abortion debate advocating against the practice of abortion and its Abortion by country, legality. Many anti-abortion movements began as countermovements in r ...
organizations. Jefferson is also noted for changing Ronald Reagan's stance on abortion from pro-choice to
anti-abortion Anti-abortion movements, also self-styled as pro-life movements, are involved in the abortion debate advocating against the practice of abortion and its Abortion by country, legality. Many anti-abortion movements began as countermovements in r ...
. He wrote to her in a letter, "I wish I could have heard your views before our legislation was passed. You made it irrefutably clear that an abortion is the taking of human life. I’m grateful to you." During her career in the
pro-life movement Anti-abortion movements, also self-styled as pro-life movements, are involved in the abortion debate advocating against the practice of abortion and its legality. Many anti-abortion movements began as countermovements in response to the legal ...
, she was called anything ranging from a political opportunist to "dangerous," "anti-medicine," and "publicity hungry." She had strong opinions when it came to topics such as
abortion Abortion is the early termination of a pregnancy by removal or expulsion of an embryo or fetus. Abortions that occur without intervention are known as miscarriages or "spontaneous abortions", and occur in roughly 30–40% of all pregnan ...
and was not afraid to voice them during speeches, rallies, and meetings for a variety of organizations. In recognition of her efforts in medicine and pursuit of social justice during her life, she has received 28 honorary degrees from universities and colleges. Although her career was largely successful, especially for her time, she couldn't pursue her career as a surgeon because of her identity as a woman of color and faced persistent discrimination. This led her to shift into the sphere of politics and make a lasting change through pro-life interest groups through the end of her life.


Political activities and positions

In her commitment to the right-to-life movement, she campaigned for anti-abortion candidates at the local, state, and national levels. Jefferson supported the single-issue,
anti-abortion Anti-abortion movements, also self-styled as pro-life movements, are involved in the abortion debate advocating against the practice of abortion and its Abortion by country, legality. Many anti-abortion movements began as countermovements in r ...
1976 campaign of
Ellen McCormack Ellen Cullen McCormack (September 15, 1926 – March 27, 2011) was an American politician who was a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1976. Early life On September 15, 1926, Eleanor Rose Cullen was born in The Bronx ...
for president and appeared in television advertisements for McCormack. Jefferson was a self-described "Lincoln Republican" and served on the 1980
Massachusetts Massachusetts ( ; ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Maine to its east, Connecticut and Rhode ...
Reagan for President Campaign. Jefferson had first met Reagan in 1973 while he was
governor of California The governor of California is the head of government of the U.S. state of California. The Governor (United States), governor is the commander-in-chief of the California National Guard and the California State Guard. Established in the Constit ...
. She also unsuccessfully sought the Republican nomination for the 1982, 1990, and 1994 U.S. Senate elections. Although unsuccessful in all of these attempts, she continued to garner widespread fame and recognition nationally and internationally. Though at first, she appeared to be a single-issue candidate at the head of the pro-life movement, as her role in politics expanded, she spoke out against a variety of topics including
busing Desegregation busing (also known as integrated busing, forced busing, or simply busing) was an attempt to diversify the racial make-up of schools in the United States by transporting students to more distant schools with less diverse student pop ...
,
social welfare programs Welfare spending is a type of government support intended to ensure that members of a society can meet basic human needs such as food and shelter. Social security may either be synonymous with welfare, or refer specifically to social insurance pr ...
,
capital punishment Capital punishment, also known as the death penalty and formerly called judicial homicide, is the state-sanctioned killing of a person as punishment for actual or supposed misconduct. The sentence (law), sentence ordering that an offender b ...
, and the
Equal Rights Amendment The Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) was a proposed amendment to the Constitution of the United States, United States Constitution that would explicitly prohibit sex discrimination. It is not currently a part of the Constitution, though its Ratifi ...
(ERA). She held conservative political and social values, opposing the
Equal Rights Amendment The Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) was a proposed amendment to the Constitution of the United States, United States Constitution that would explicitly prohibit sex discrimination. It is not currently a part of the Constitution, though its Ratifi ...
on the basis that it is unnecessary as the Constitution has no in-built inequity. She for years called for a
constitutional amendment A constitutional amendment (or constitutional alteration) is a modification of the constitution of a polity, organization or other type of entity. Amendments are often interwoven into the relevant sections of an existing constitution, directly alt ...
to reverse the 1973 Supreme Court decision in ''Roe v. Wade'', rejecting the notion that abortion is a private matter between a woman and her physician. Jefferson also expressed opposition to
welfare Welfare may refer to: Philosophy *Well-being (happiness, prosperity, or flourishing) of a person or group * Utility in utilitarianism * Value in value theory Economics * Utility, a general term for individual well-being in economics and decision ...
and
busing Desegregation busing (also known as integrated busing, forced busing, or simply busing) was an attempt to diversify the racial make-up of schools in the United States by transporting students to more distant schools with less diverse student pop ...
, and support for the
death penalty Capital punishment, also known as the death penalty and formerly called judicial homicide, is the state-sanctioned killing of a person as punishment for actual or supposed misconduct. The sentence ordering that an offender be punished in s ...
.


Later years

Jefferson died in her Cambridge home on October 15, 2010, at the age of 83 years. She was divorced and had no children. She was buried in her hometown of
Carthage, Texas Carthage is a city in and the county seat of Panola County, Texas, United States. The city is situated in deep East Texas, 20 miles west of the Louisiana state line. Its population was 6,569 at the 2020 census. History Carthage was founded in ...
.


See also

*
Black conservatism in the United States In the United States, black conservatism is a political and social movement rooted in African-American communities that aligns largely with the American conservative movement, including the Christian right. Black conservatism emphasizes social c ...
*
List of African-American Republicans The following is a list of black Republicans, past and present. This list is limited to black Americans who have worked in a direct, professional capacity in politics. A * Israel Abbott (1813–1887), Republican State Representative from N ...


References


External links


National Right to Life Committee website



Papers of Mildred Jefferson, 1947-2010.Schlesinger Library
Radcliffe Institute, Harvard University.
Mildred Jefferson speaks on abortion
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Jefferson, Mildred Fay 1927 births 2010 deaths African-American activists 20th-century African-American physicians American women surgeons Methodists from Texas American anti-abortion activists Harvard Medical School alumni Massachusetts Republicans Physicians from Cambridge, Massachusetts People from Carthage, Texas Texas College alumni Tufts University School of Medicine alumni People from Pittsburg, Texas African-American people in Massachusetts politics 20th-century African-American women politicians 20th-century African-American politicians 20th-century American women politicians 20th-century American physicians 20th-century American women physicians Candidates in the 1982 United States elections Candidates in the 1990 United States elections Candidates in the 1994 United States elections Methodists from Massachusetts Black conservatism in the United States African-American women physicians 21st-century American women physicians 21st-century American physicians