Trail Blazing Black Women: Eliza Ann Grier, MD

Photo: National Library of Medicine There are many accounts in American history of people who broke through obstacles and proved that everything is possible. Dr. Eliza Ann Grier is an outstanding example of a great lady who overcame the evils of slavery and had a distinguished career in medicine. Dr. Grier made history in 1898 when she became the first Black woman in Georgia to get a medical license. Her incredible journey from enslavement to becoming a revered doctor is a living testament to the power of perseverance, determination, and bravery. Emancipation to Empowerment Eliza Ann Grier had a difficult and uncertain beginning to her life since she was born into slavery. But her freedom was bestowed on her by the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863, which opened horizons that had never been imagined before. Dr. Grier’s resolute will allowed her to pursue her goals, although many formerly enslaved people had difficulty assimilating into modern society. Despite the challenges she faced, they served to fuel her determination to follow her greater purpose: to become a doctor so she could help her community. The Fight for Education Racially segregated schools deprived Grier of chances that were legitimately hers, and she faced many...