Daniel Hale Williams
Encyclopedia
Daniel Hale Williams was an American surgeon. He was the first African-American cardiologist,and performed one of the first successful open-heart surgeries in the United States
. He also founded Provident Hospital, the first non-segregated hospital in the United States.
. Earlier surgeries on the pericardium were performed by Francisco Romero in 1801, Dominique Jean Larrey
prior to 1850, and by Henry Dalton
in 1891. Also in 1891, he started the Provident Hospital and training school for nurses in Chicago, Illinois. This was established mostly for African-American citizens. In 1893 he repaired the torn pericardium of a knife wound patient, James Cornish, the second on record. He performed this surgery at Provident Hospital, Chicago, on 10 July 1893 About fifty-five days later, James Cornish had successfully recovered from the surgery.
In 1893, during the administration of President Grover Cleveland
, Williams was appointed surgeon-in-chief of Freedman's Hospital
in Washington, D.C.
. In addition to organizing the hospital, Williams also established a training school for African-American nurses at the facility.
Williams was a teacher of Clinical Surgery at Meharry Medical College
in Nashville, Tennessee
and was an attending surgeon at Cook County Hospital in Chicago. He worked hard to create more hospitals for African Americans. In 1895 he co-founded the National Medical Association
for African American doctors, and in 1913 he became a charter member and the only African American doctor in the American College of Surgeons
.
woman. He lived with his father who was a "free negro" barber, his mother, a brother and five sisters. His family eventually moved to Annapolis, Maryland
. Unfortunately, shortly after when Daniel was nine, his father died. Williams was married in 1898 to Alice Johnson, daughter of sculptor Moses Jacob Ezekiel
and a maid of mixed ancestry. Williams died of a stroke in Idlewild, Michigan
on August 4, 1931. His wife, Alice Johnson, died in 1924.
song "Black Man", from the album Songs in the Key of Life
.
In 2002, scholar Molefi Kete Asante
listed Daniel Hale Williams on his list of 100 Greatest African Americans
.
He received honorary degrees from Howard and Willberforce Universtities, was named a charter member of the American College of surgeons and was a member of the Chicago Surgical Society.
A Pennsylvania State Historical Marker was placed at US 22 eastbound (Blair St., 300 block), Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania commemorating his accomplishments and marking his boyhood home.
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United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. He also founded Provident Hospital, the first non-segregated hospital in the United States.
Career
Williams was among the first to have performed cardiac surgeryCardiac surgery
Cardiovascular surgery is surgery on the heart or great vessels performed by cardiac surgeons. Frequently, it is done to treat complications of ischemic heart disease , correct congenital heart disease, or treat valvular heart disease from various causes including endocarditis, rheumatic heart...
. Earlier surgeries on the pericardium were performed by Francisco Romero in 1801, Dominique Jean Larrey
Dominique Jean Larrey
Dominique Jean Larrey was a French surgeon in Napoleon's army and an important innovator in battlefield medicine.-Biography:...
prior to 1850, and by Henry Dalton
Henry Dalton
Henry C. Dalton was superintendent of the St. Louis City Hospital from 1886 to 1892, and later a professor of abdominal and clinical surgery at Marion Sims College of Medicine . He is noted for performing the first suturing of the pericardium on record...
in 1891. Also in 1891, he started the Provident Hospital and training school for nurses in Chicago, Illinois. This was established mostly for African-American citizens. In 1893 he repaired the torn pericardium of a knife wound patient, James Cornish, the second on record. He performed this surgery at Provident Hospital, Chicago, on 10 July 1893 About fifty-five days later, James Cornish had successfully recovered from the surgery.
In 1893, during the administration of President Grover Cleveland
Grover Cleveland
Stephen Grover Cleveland was the 22nd and 24th president of the United States. Cleveland is the only president to serve two non-consecutive terms and therefore is the only individual to be counted twice in the numbering of the presidents...
, Williams was appointed surgeon-in-chief of Freedman's Hospital
Freedman's Hospital
Forerunner of the Howard University Hospital, Freedmen's Hospital served the black community in the District of Columbia for more than a century. First established in 1862 on the grounds of the Camp Barker, 13th and R Streets, NW, Freedmen's Hospital and Asylum cared for freed, disabled, and aged...
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
. In addition to organizing the hospital, Williams also established a training school for African-American nurses at the facility.
Williams was a teacher of Clinical Surgery at Meharry Medical College
Meharry Medical College
Meharry Medical College, located in Nashville, Tennessee, United States, is a graduate and professional institution affiliated with the United Methodist Church whose mission is to educate healthcare professionals and scientists. Founded in 1876 as the Medical Department of Central Tennessee...
in Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
and was an attending surgeon at Cook County Hospital in Chicago. He worked hard to create more hospitals for African Americans. In 1895 he co-founded the National Medical Association
National Medical Association
The National Medical Association is the largest and oldest national organization representing African American physicians and their patients in the United States...
for African American doctors, and in 1913 he became a charter member and the only African American doctor in the American College of Surgeons
American College of Surgeons
The American College of Surgeons is an educational association of surgeons created in 1913 to improve the quality of care for the surgical patient by setting high standards for surgical education and practice.-Membership:...
.
Personal life
Daniel Hale Williams was born and raised in the city of Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania. His father, Daniel Hale Williams, Jr. was the son of an African-American barber and a Scots-IrishScots-Irish American
Scotch-Irish Americans are an estimated 250,000 Presbyterian and other Protestant dissenters from the Irish province of Ulster who immigrated to North America primarily during the colonial era and their descendants. Some scholars also include the 150,000 Ulster Protestants who immigrated to...
woman. He lived with his father who was a "free negro" barber, his mother, a brother and five sisters. His family eventually moved to Annapolis, Maryland
Annapolis, Maryland
Annapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Maryland, as well as the county seat of Anne Arundel County. It had a population of 38,394 at the 2010 census and is situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east of Washington, D.C. Annapolis is...
. Unfortunately, shortly after when Daniel was nine, his father died. Williams was married in 1898 to Alice Johnson, daughter of sculptor Moses Jacob Ezekiel
Moses Jacob Ezekiel
Moses Jacob Ezekiel was an American sculptor who lived and worked in Rome for the majority of his career. In the American Civil War, he was a highly-decorated soldier in the Confederate States Army.-Biography:...
and a maid of mixed ancestry. Williams died of a stroke in Idlewild, Michigan
Idlewild, Michigan
Idlewild is a vacation and retirement community in Yates Township located in a small rural northwestern part of the U.S. state of Michigan near the southeastern border of Lake County...
on August 4, 1931. His wife, Alice Johnson, died in 1924.
Legacy
Williams was honored, amongst others, for his achievements in the Stevie WonderStevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
song "Black Man", from the album Songs in the Key of Life
Songs in the Key of Life
Songs in the Key of Life is the 13th album by American recording artist Stevie Wonder, released September 28, 1976, on Motown Records. It was the culmination of his "classic period" albums. An ambitious double LP with a 4-song bonus EP, Songs in the Key of Life became among the best-selling and...
.
In 2002, scholar Molefi Kete Asante
Molefi Kete Asante
Molefi Kete Asante is an African-American scholar, historian, and philosopher. He is a leading figure in the fields of African American studies, African Studies and Communication Studies...
listed Daniel Hale Williams on his list of 100 Greatest African Americans
100 Greatest African Americans
100 Greatest African Americans is a biographical dictionary of the one hundred historically greatest African Americans , as assessed by Molefi Kete Asante in 2002.-Criteria:...
.
He received honorary degrees from Howard and Willberforce Universtities, was named a charter member of the American College of surgeons and was a member of the Chicago Surgical Society.
A Pennsylvania State Historical Marker was placed at US 22 eastbound (Blair St., 300 block), Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania commemorating his accomplishments and marking his boyhood home.
External links
- The Provident Foundation
- The Provident Foundation History: Dr. Daniel Hale Williams
- Obituary in the Journal of the National Medical Association (PDF file).
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