Dr. Austin Maurice Curtis, Sr.
Dr. Austin Maurice Curtis, Sr. was born either in June or January 15, 1868 in Raleigh, NC. He was a prominent turn-of-the-century physician and protégé of Dr. Daniel Hale Williams
He Graduated from Lincoln University with a B.A. in 1888. Then upon completion of requirements, he graduated from Northwestern University with a M.D. in 1891 and was the only Black member of the graduating class. Upon this last graduation, he was appointed to his first internship as the House Physician of Providence Hospital in Chicago.
He was also the first Black surgeon on staff of Cook County Hospital (a non-segregated hospital) in 1896.and was appointed by the Secretary of the Interior as Chief Surgeon of Freedmen's Hospital from 1898-1938, succeeding noted Black physician and surgeon, Dr. Daniel Hale Williams.
Dr. Curtis was the President of the National Medical Association from 1910-1911. He also received honorary doctorate of medicine from his alma mater, Lincoln University, in 1929.
Dr. Curtis was a professor of Surgery at Howard University for 25 years.
Dr. Curtis and his wife, Namah (Namahyoka) Gertrude Sockum of San Francisco, California were married in 1888 in Camden, New Jersey.
They had four children;
Arthur Leo Curtis MD b.1889-d.1936
Austin M Curtis Jr, MD b.1891-d.1958;
Merrill Hargro Curtis MD b.1894-d.1972
Gertrude Ellen Curtis b.19 February 1900–d.22 October 1988
His wife, Namahyoka Gertrude Sockum Curtis was born in 1869, and died in 1935.
He died in Washington, District of Columbia,on July 14, 1939, he was 71 years old.
He was survived by his mother, Eleanora Curtis, a daughter, Mrs. Gertrude Curtis Norris, two sons, Dr. Austin Maurice Curtis Jr. and Dr. Merrill Curtis, two sisters and two brothers, four grandchildren and other relatives.
NOTE: This is not Dr. Austin Curtis, who assisted Dr. George Washington Carver. While researching Dr Curtis Sr.'s life history, we found that many others have confused Dr. Austin Curtis' image, who assisted Dr. Carer with the life history of Dr. Austin Maurice Curtis, Sr who was born in Raleigh, NC and was a medical Doctor.
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