Tagged : Justina Ford

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The Justina Ford House and The Black American West Museum

Monday, September 13th, 2010 at 3:32pm. 1768 Views, 0 Comments.

justina-ford_480Justina Ford was the first African American woman to become a licensed doctor in Colorado. Justina Ford grew up in Knoxville in Illinois. As a child, she had assisted her mother, whose work nursing other slaves had supported her family. This experience led her to follow a career in medicine, with the support and financial help of her family.

Justina Ford was a pioneering physician who, in 1899, graduated from Hering Medical College. She first practiced in Alabama, but moved to Denver seeking an environment in which she, as an African-American, would have better opportunities to work as a doctor. The rapid westwards expansion meant that Colorado offered opportunities for all sorts of people.

However, when she applied for a license to practice in…

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