About the book
This is the untold story of Dr. J. D. Harris (1833-1884), an African American physician whose life and career straddled enormous changes for Black professionals and the practice of medicine. Born in Fayetteville, North Carolina, Harris served as a contract surgeon to the Union army and transitioned to a similar post under the Freedmen’s Bureau, treating Black troops and freedpeople in Virginia. Margaret Humphreys not only narrates what we know about Harris but offers context to his remarkable journey, including how incredible it was that a young man born into freedom in a slave state learned to read when literacy for Black people was illegal. He was one of very few African Americans to become a doctor before Howard Medical School opened in the 1870s, a fact that both reveals the structural barriers to medical education for Black Americans and highlights how those structures weakened in the 1860s.
Drawing on census records, court records, Civil War and Reconstruction documents from the National Archives, African American newspapers, and more, this book is a revealing look at the history not only of medicine in the southern United States but also of race and citizenship during one of the nation’s most tumultuous eras.
Editions of Searching for Dr. Harris
- Hardcover
- ISBN 9781469680057
- Paperback
- ISBN 9781469680064
- EBook
- ISBN 9781469680071
- EBook
- ISBN 9781469680088
- PDF
- ISBN 9781469682341
- PDF
- ISBN 9781469682358
Read an Excerpt
This is the untold story of Dr. J. D. Harris (1833-1884), an African American physician whose life and career straddled enormous changes for Black professionals and the practice of medicine. Born in Fayetteville, North Carolina, Harris served as a contract surgeon to the Union army and transitioned to a similar post under the Freedmen’s Bureau, treating Black troops and freedpeople in Virginia. Margaret Humphreys not only narrates what we know about Harris but offers context to his remarkable journey, including how incredible it was that a young man born into freedom in a slave state learned to read when literacy for Black people was illegal. He was one of very few African Americans to become a doctor before Howard Medical School opened in the 1870s, a fact that both reveals the structural barriers to medical education for Black Americans and highlights how those structures weakened in the 1860s.
Drawing on census records, court records, Civil War and Reconstruction documents from the National Archives, African American newspapers, and more, this book is a revealing look at the history not only of medicine in the southern United States but also of race and citizenship during one of the nation’s most tumultuous eras.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Searching for Dr. Harris about?
This is the untold story of Dr. J. D. Harris (1833-1884), an African American physician whose life and career straddled enormous changes for Black professionals and the practice of medicine. Born in Fayetteville, North Carolina, Harris served as a contract surgeon to the Union army and transitioned to a similar post under the Freedmen’s Bureau, treating Black troops and freedpeople in Virginia. Margaret Humphreys not only narrates what we know about Harris but offers context to his remarkable journey, including how incredible it was that a young man born into freedom in a slave state learned to read when literacy for Black people was illegal. He was one of very few African Americans to become a doctor before Howard Medical School opened in the 1870s, a fact that both reveals the structural barriers to medical education for Black Americans and highlights how those structures weakened in the 1860s.
Drawing on census records, court records, Civil War and Reconstruction documents from the National Archives, African American newspapers, and more, this book is a revealing look at the history not only of medicine in the southern United States but also of race and citizenship during one of the nation’s most tumultuous eras.
What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in Searching for Dr. Harris?
Society and Social Sciences > Society and culture: general > Social groups, communities and identities > Ethnic studies / Ethnicity
Where can I read a sample of Searching for Dr. Harris?
You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9781469680057
How long is Searching for Dr. Harris and how many pages does it have?
Searching for Dr. Harris has 322 page(s)
Is Searching for Dr. Harris part of a series, and can it be read as a standalone?
Yes it is a part of series Studies in Social Medicine
Who is/are the Author/s of the book Searching for Dr. Harris?
Margaret Humphreys
What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?
Searching for Dr. Harris is available as hardcover(ISBN 9781469680057) and paperback(ISBN 9781469680064) and ebook(ISBN 9781469680071) and ebook(ISBN 9781469680088) and pdf(ISBN 9781469682341) and pdf(ISBN 9781469682358)
Where can I buy Searching for Dr. Harris online or support local independent bookshops?
You can buy Searching for Dr. Harris from below
Where can I buy Searching for Dr. Harris?