Health
Dr. Rebecca Lee Crumpler 1831-1895: The First African-American Female Physician PDF Print E-mail
Written by Crystal R. Emery   
Wednesday, 20 July 2016 17:26

 

 

 

Rebecca Lee Crumpler challenged the prejudice that prevented Black Americans form pursuing careers in medicine to become the first Black woman in the United States to earn an MD degree.  Although little has survived to tell the story of her life, Dr.  Crumpler secured her place in the historical record with her two-volume book, The Book of Medical Discourses, published in 1883.

Miss Crumpler was born a free woman of color in 1831 in Delaware.  Early in her life she moved to Pennsylvania, living with her aunt, "whose usefulness with the sick was continually sought".  At that time "I early conceived a liking for, and sought every opportunity to relieve the sufferings of others," she wrote.

By 1852 Dr.  Crumpler had moved to Charlestown, Massachusetts, where she worked as a nurse for the next eight years.  In 1860, with the help of written recommendations from the doctors she worked with, she was admitted to the New England Female Medical College.  When she graduated in 1864, Dr.  Crumpler was the first Black woman in the United States to earn an MD degree and the only Black woman to graduate from the New England Female Medical College, which closed in 1873.

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Exclusive Interview with the talented American documentarist Crystal Emery PDF Print E-mail
Written by Patricia Turnier   
Monday, 10 October 2016 18:29

 

 

Crystal Renée Emery grew up in the Brookside Housing Projects in New Haven, Connecticut. Philanthropy is part of Ms. Emery’s family tradition. Thus, her grandmother is a minister, likewise for her mother who is a Yale Divinity School minister. Her family members take care of their community.

During her childhood, Ms. Emery enjoyed directing her brothers and sisters in plays and imaginery television shows. She is an artist, authoress, documentarist, activist and playwright among other things. The lady is known for creating socially-conscious works and stories that highlight the triumph of the human spirit. Emery is also the CEO & founder of her nonprofit organization URU, The Right to Be, Inc., a content production company that tackles social issues via film, theatre, publishing, and other arts-based initiatives.

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Exercise! The Magical Elixir PDF Print E-mail
Written by Dr. Ramin Manshadi M.D   
Wednesday, 23 November 2016 18:39

In generations past, the population had greater amounts of physical activity.   A high percentage of working adults did manual labor, be it in the fields or elsewhere, as opposed to today where so many are desk bound. Children would go out and play, rain or shine, warm or cold. They did not rely on computers, TVs or video games for their entertainment. Progress has been great for society. But in some ways-not for heart health.

The bottom line for good health is exercise. I believed it is truly the key, even more than diet. Please realize that i am speaking of moderate exercise.   It is so simple. When you have moderate exercise, the heart becomes much healthier. When the heart is healthier, its owner enjoys an improved and happier life.  Sure, you say. That makes sense. You already kind of know this. But do you know why?

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Exclusive interview with the heart and soul of the movie Concussion: Dr. Omalu M.D. PDF Print E-mail
Written by Patricia Turnier LL.M and LL.D Candidate in 2016   
Wednesday, 02 August 2017 00:00

 

Dr. Bennet Omalu was born in Nigeria (where he learned to speak Igbo and Pigeon English) during the Civil War. He is the sixth of seven siblings. His mother worked as a seamstress while his father occupied roles such as civil mining engineer, community leader in Enugu-Ukwu and deputy director of mines. Thus, the physician comes from a family that values higher education. For instance, his younger sister holds a PhD degree from Scotland in energy law.

Dr. Omalu started primary school at the age of three. He outperformed the older children in his class. He learned how to read at three like Oprah Winfrey, Johnnie CochranShirley Chisholm, Condoleezza Rice and Toni Morrison. Being exposed to education so early definitely helped them to rise up. Later, the pathologist enrolled into the Federal Government College Enugu for secondary school. He began medical school at the age of sixteen at the University of Nigeria in Nsukka. In 1990, he obtained a MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery) in Nigeria. He graduated from medical school in 1990. Albeit disappointed by the political situation of his country, he started to look for opportunities in America. He looked for scholarships. Hence, Dr. Omalu arrived first in Seattle, Washington in 1994 to finish an epidemiology fellowship at the University of Washington. In 1995, he enrolled in Columbia University’s Harlem Hospital Center for a residency training program in anatomic and clinical pathology.

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Black Pain: A Book Review PDF Print E-mail
Written by Kam Williams   
Friday, 11 May 2018 00:00

 

"How much does suffering from and living with addiction, incarceration, dirty neighborhoods, HIV, hypertension, violence, racism, and class discrimination make us vulnerable to depression in the Black community? How many of us are suffering from it and not able or willing to acknowledge it? Who is talking about it? What is our response? The silence is deafening.

Depression is a fact of Black life, but it doesn't have to be a curse. And we don't have to be ashamed to admit it. This book will speak openly about my own depression and share the experiences of other people, from celebrities to regular working folk, so that we can think in different ways about this condition and about our options as Black people for dealing with it. More than anything, I want to open a dialogue. I want to give a voice to our pain and name it so we can make a space for our healing."

--Excerpted from the Introduction (pages xxvi-xxvii)

African-American females are generally undervalued by this society, despite all the selfless sacrifices they routinely make at home, at work and in the community. Besides being overworked, they're expected to behave like ever-available, accommodating sex machines or else risk being dismissed as undesirable and unfeminine.

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