Africana Homestead Legacy Publishers

Presents biographical information on physicians of African ancestry who practiced in the United States or taught those who practiced in the U.S. between 1800 and 1920. Features almost 3,000 entries that provide the physician's birth and death dates, place of practice, medical school and year of graduation, birthplace, parents, spouse, and children. Includes a geographical index and a general index.

ISBN-13: 978-0-9831151-4-4
Binding 1: hardcover on sale in our storefront
Pages: 512 pp.
Publication date: March 2011
Price: US $125.00

ISBN-13: 978-0-9831151-5-1
Binding 2: softcover on sale in our storefront
Pages: 512 pp.
Publication date: March 2011
Price: US $90.00
Imprint: Africana Homestead Legacy Publishers

BISAC subjects: MEDICAL / History; MEDICAL / Physicians; MEDICAL / Reference; BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY / Medical.

Before she officially retired to complete research on early African American physicians, Geraldine Rhoades Beckford was an information analyst, as well as a cataloging librarian, in both the public and private sectors. Beckford earned a bachelor of science degree in biology and chemistry at City College of New York, a master of library science at Long Island University, and completed postgraduate studies in History at City University in New York. She is a member of the Organization of American Historians (OAH), the Association of the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH), the Schomburg Society, the Afro-American Historical Association of the Niagara Frontier, and the American Society for Indexing.

In addition to compiling Biographical Dictionary of American Physicians of African Descent, 1800-1920, she is the author of entries for Drs. Caroline Still Anderson, Lucy H. Brown, Thomas W. Burton, and Eliza A. Grier in the 8-volume set, African American National Biography (Oxford University Press, 2008). She is currently freelancing as an analyst and indexer of scientific and technical publications while completing a book on the history of African American physicians from 1880 to 1920.

“What an amazing treasure! … a unique and informative reference work containing data about 3,000 physicians of African ancestry who practiced between 1800 and 1920. This volume directs researchers to vital information about the first century of African American physicians. Geraldine Rhoades Beckford has meticulously and accurately identified graduates of predominantly white and historically black medical schools and has produced a volume that is the starting point for anyone doing research on physician. I highly recommend this an invaluable comprehensive reference guide.”

Darlene Clark Hine
Professor of African American Studies and History
Northwestern University
Author of The African American Odyssey

“What a great gift this book will be to all of us who do research on and care about the history of early African American physicians. The book will serve as a most useful reference tool to corroborate information already gathered and to provide leads for places to seek further data. It will sit on the bookshelf closest to my desk for quick and handy use. I applaud Ms. Beckford for her efforts (no mean task) in gathering all this material. Hats off!”

Todd Savitt
Department of Bioethics and Interdisciplinary Studies
Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University