Power to Heal tells a poignant chapter in the historic struggle to secure equal and adequate access to healthcare for all Americans. Central to the story is the tale of how a new national program, Medicare, was used to mount a dramatic, coordinated effort that desegregated thousands of hospitals across the country practically overnight. Emory Library access is needed to view.
In 1959, Dr. Marion G. Hood applied to Emory School of Medicine but was denied consideration for admission due to his race during a painful time of segregation in this country. Despite this obstacle, Dr. Hood went on to have a long and distinguished career in the field of gynecology and obstetrics. During this celebration, Emory School of Medicine formally apologized to Dr. Hood and invited him to share the rest of his story.
African American physicians have dealt with distrust and misperceptions for more than a century. Learn more about the history of early black doctors through the story of John Henry Jordan in Coweta County, Georgia.
Dr. Kylie Smith, associate professor in Emory's Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing, discusses the impact of history on disparities in American healthcare. Smith also serves as the director of the Center for Healthcare History and Policy, a hub for scholarly research and education at the intersection of history and healthcare policy.
