Louis T. Wright

%22Head of Dr. Louis Wright%22 - NARA - 559035

Louis T. Wright (July 23, 1891 – October 8, 1952) was an American surgeon and civil rights activist. He is best known for his pioneering work in the field of medicine and his efforts to combat racial discrimination in healthcare.

Early Life and Education

Louis Tompkins Wright was born in LaGrange, Georgia, to a family with a strong medical background. His father, Cecil Wright, was a physician, and his mother, Lulu Tompkins Wright, was a schoolteacher. After his father's death, his mother remarried William Fletcher Penn, another prominent African American physician.

Wright attended Clark Atlanta University for his undergraduate studies and later enrolled at Harvard Medical School, where he graduated in 1915. He was one of the first African Americans to graduate from Harvard Medical School.

Medical Career

After completing his education, Wright served as an intern at Freedmen's Hospital in Washington, D.C.. He later moved to New York City, where he joined the staff of Harlem Hospital in 1919. Wright became the first African American surgeon at the hospital and eventually became the Director of Surgery.

Wright was a pioneer in the use of antibiotics and was one of the first to use sulfa drugs to treat bacterial infections. He also conducted significant research on the effects of tuberculosis and was an advocate for the use of the Bacillus Calmette-Guérin vaccine.

Civil Rights Activism

In addition to his medical career, Wright was a staunch advocate for civil rights. He was a member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and served as the Chairman of the Board of Directors from 1934 to 1950. Wright used his position to fight against racial discrimination in healthcare and to promote equal opportunities for African Americans in the medical profession.

Personal Life

Wright married Corinne Cooke, and the couple had two daughters, Jane Cooke Wright and Barbara Wright Pierce. Both of his daughters followed in his footsteps and became prominent physicians.

Legacy

Louis T. Wright's contributions to medicine and civil rights have left a lasting impact. He is remembered as a trailblazer who broke racial barriers in the medical field and as a dedicated advocate for equality and justice.

See Also

• Harlem Hospital
• National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
• Jane Cooke Wright
• Tuberculosis
• Antibiotics