Wall Clock ELIZA ANN GRIER

Eliza Ann Grier was a trailblazing physician, and the first African American woman licensed to practice medicine in Georgia. Born into slavery in 1864 in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, she was emancipated at the end of the Civil War.

Determined to pursue medicine, she enrolled at Fisk University, alternating years between studying and working to afford tuition. She later wrote to the Woman’s Medical College of Pennsylvania, asking if there was any assistance for an emancipated slave to enter the medical profession. She was accepted and continued her pattern of working between studies, even picking cotton for a year to pay for tuition.

After seven years, she graduated in 1897 and became the first Black woman licensed to practice medicine in Georgia. Specializing in obstetrics and gynecology, she sought to provide care for Black women, stating, “When I saw colored women doing all the work in cases of accouchement, and all the fee going to some white doctor who merely looked on, I asked myself why should I not get the fee myself.”

Despite facing financial struggles, she remained committed to her work. She fell ill in 1901 and reached out to Susan B. Anthony for assistance, though Anthony was unable to provide financial help. Sadly, Grier passed away in 1902, leaving behind a legacy of perseverance, resilience, and groundbreaking achievement.

Her story is one of determination against overwhelming odds—a true testament to the power of education and ambition.