Black and African American Historical Figures at KU Medical Center
Learn about the extraordinary lives and contributions of vital figures in the medical center's history.
Jimmie Joe Kelso
June 10, 1939-April 9, 2021A true trailblazer, Jimmie Kelso was among the first Black graduates of two different KU progams.
Samuel Ulysses Rodgers, M.D., MPH
Aug. 10, 1917-Dec. 19, 1999A transformational leader in Kansas City health care, Samuel Rodgers was a KU Medical Center faculty member for 22 years.
Lewis Napier Bass, Jr., M.D.
May 25, 1921-April 7, 2008KU's first Black resident in pediatrics, Bass went on to lead the clinic that would become Swope Health.
Donald Sheffield Ferguson, M.D.
Jan. 12, 1907-Nov. 1, 1989The second Black student to earn an M.D. from KU, Ferguson expanded access to care for Kansas Citians.
Marjorie Cates, M.D.
June 30, 1930-July 1, 1991Marjorie Cates, M.D. was the first African American woman to graduate from KU School of Medicine in 1958.
Norge Jerome, Ph.D.
Nov. 3, 1930-Dec. 12, 2021The world's first nutritional anthropologist, Dr. Jerome's career as an educator at KU Medical Center spanned 30 years.
Christine L. (Weems) Northern, RN
Nov. 12, 1930-Jan. 20, 2009The first Black graduate of KU School of Nursing, Northern helped expand access to health care in Wyandotte County.
Sterling B. Williams, M.D.
April 3, 1941-May 19, 2013Former department chair obstetrics and gynecology at KU, Dr. Williams became a national leader in his field.
Thanks to...
Thank you to staff in the KU Medical Center Archives team for contributions to this project. Visit the Department of History and Philosophy of Medicine to learn more the medical center’s historical collections and events.