| Mildred Fay Jefferson, M.D. | |
|---|---|
| President of the National Right to Life Committee | |
| In office 1975–1978 |
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| Chairman of the Board, National Right to Life Committee | |
| In office 1974–1975 |
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| Vice President of the National Right to Life Committee | |
| In office 1973–1974 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | April 4, 1926 Carthage, Texas |
| Died | October 15, 2010 Cambridge, Massachusetts |
| Political party | Republican |
| Alma mater | Harvard Medical School |
| Occupation | Surgeon |
| Religion | Methodist |
Dr. Mildred Fay Jefferson (April 4, 1926 — October 15, 2010[1]) was an American physician, political activist, and the first African-American woman to graduate from Harvard Medical School. She is known for her work as a leader of the American Pro-life Movement.
She unsuccessfully sought the Republican nomination as a United States Senator from Massachusetts.[2]
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Born in Pittsburg, Texas she was the only child of Millard and Guthrie Jefferson, a Methodist minister and a school teacher. Jefferson was raised in Carthage, Texas.[3] At a young age "Millie" followed the town doctor around on his horse drawn buggy, this would later inspire her to become a doctor.
At the age of 16 she earned her bachelor's degree from Texas College. Since she was too young to attend medical school, she went to Tufts University where she received her master's degree. She then went on to Harvard Medical School and graduated in 1951, becoming the first African-American women to do so.
After graduating from Medical Mildred went on to apply for a surgical internship at Boston City Hospital, becoming the first women to do so. She was also the first female doctor at the former Boston University Medical Center.[4] She would later become the first women to become a member of the Boston Surgical Society.
It was around 1970 when Dr. Jefferson became on of the founders of Massachusetts Citizens for Life. She later helped found the National Right to Life Committee. In 1971, she became a member of the NRLC Board of Directors. She became the Vice President of National Right to Life in 1973 and then was elected as Chairman of the Board the following year. Mildred then was elected as President of NRLC in 1975 until 1978. [5]
It was in 1980 that Dr. Jefferson helped the National Right to Life Committee start a Political Action Committee because she believed it was important to lobby and support Pro-Life candidates for office. While a Republican, she helped democrat Ellen McCormack run for the Democratic Party Nominee for President in 1976. Apart from NRLC, Mildred served on the Board of Directors of more than 30 Pro-life organizations.
Mildred Jefferson is also noted for changing Ronald Reagan's stance on Abortion from Pro-choice to Pro-life. He stated to her in a letter;
Aside from the Pro-Life Movement, Mildred campaigned and endorsed many candidates for public office, including Mitt Romney when he ran for President in 2008.[7] She was a self-described "Lincoln Republican" and served on the 1980 Massachusetts Reagan for President Campaign. She also unsuccesfully sought the Republican nomination for the 1982, 1990, and 1994 U.S. Senate elections.
Mildred was found dead in her Cambridge home on October 15, 2010 at the age of 84. She was divorced and had no children. She was buried in her hometown of Carthage, Texas
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