University of Chicago Honors Its First African American Faculty Member

lewiaJulian H. Lewis was born in 1891 in Shawneetown, Illinois. He earned a Ph.D. in physiology and pathology at the University of Chicago in 1915 and then went on to earn a medical degree at Rush Medical College. He was one of the first African Americans to hold both a medical degree and a Ph.D. In 1917, he was hired as an instructor at the University of Chicago, the first African American to hold a teaching position at the university.

Dr. Lewis left the University of Chicago in 1943 to work at Provident Hospital in Chicago, the first Black-owned and operated hospital in the United States. He continued to work there until his death in 1989.

On February 21, the University of Chicago will hold a symposium on Dr. Lewis. A commissioned oil painting of Dr. Lewis will be unveiled at the ceremony. The painting will later be donated to Smithsonian National Museum of African American History, scheduled to open in Washington in 2016.

Related Articles

Leave a Reply

Get the JBHE Weekly Bulletin

Receive our weekly email newsletter delivered to your inbox

Latest News

California State University Sacramento Launches Black Honors College

Officially launching for the fall 2024 semester, the Black Honors College will support students from all backgrounds who study Black history, life, and culture by providing them with a specialized curriculum and mentoring opportunities.

Higher Education Gifts or Grants of Interest to African Americans

Here is this week’s news of grants or gifts to historically Black colleges and universities or for programs of particular interest to African Americans in higher education.

In Memoriam: Norman B. Anderson, 1955-2024

Dr. Anderson was the assistant vice president for research and academic affairs at Florida State University at the time of his death. He had an extensive career in clinical psychology, which led him to become the first African American chief executive officer of the American Psychological Association.

Georgia State University Launches Program to Support Black Women in Tech

While Black women account for roughly 29 percent of the Georgia State University undergradaute student body, they represent only 10 percent of the university's computer science majors and 18 percent of the computer information systems majors.

Featured Jobs