Announcements

FROM: The Office of Multicultural Affairs and Diversity Education RE: Celebrate Black History Month- Dr. Jocelyn Elders
Sent:
2/26/2018 10:19:28 AM
To: Students

Joycelyn Elders, pediatrician, was the first African American to be appointed surgeon general of the United States in September 1993 by President Clinton1. During her short tenure in that position, Dr. Elders was an outspoken proponent for women’s reproductive health care and for sex, alcohol, drug and tobacco education in public schools. Prior to this role, she was the head of the Arkansas State Health Department, where she successfully lobbied for sex education and instruction in hygiene and substance abuse prevention for k-12 students2. Her controversial stance on drug policy and remarks she made at the United Nations conference on AIDS, led to President Clinton asking for her resignation in 19943. Dr. Elders returned to Arkansas and became a faculty researcher and professor of pediatric endocrinology at the University of Arkansas4. Dr. Elders’ accolades include the National Governor’s Distinguished Service Award, the American Medical Association Dr. Nathan Davis Award and several honorary Doctorate of medical sciences degrees5.

To learn more about Jocelyn Elders, MD, visit https://www.encyclopedia.com/people/medicine/medicine-biographies/joycelyn-elders  and http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=2240

 

1. http://www.thehistorymakers.org/biography/dr-joycelyn-elders

2. http://www.blackpast.org/aah/elders-joycelyn-minnie-1933

3. http://www.nytimes.com/1994/12/10/us/surgeon-general-forced-to-resign-by-white-house.html

4. https://cfmedicine.nlm.nih.gov/physicians/biography_98.html

5. http://www.healthconference.org/2017conference_bios/elders.htm