Texas History Minute
The ability to heal is an ancient and respected art. The practice of medicine, from binding wounds to folk remedies for diseases, date back thousands of years. In the twentieth century, major advances were made that eliminated many diseases and eased the suffering of countless individuals. The expansion of medical schools allowed many more people to be able to practice medicine and to spread its availability into underserved communities. With the desegregation of universities across the South, African-Americans could receive a top-rated medical education in their home states. Among these was Dr. Edith Irby Jones became the first African-American to attend a desegregated southern medical school and began a storied career as a leader in medicine in Arkansas and Texas.
