Students Organize Black History Month Display to Honor Famous Historical Figures in Medicine

In recognition of Black History Month, the Student National Medical Association (SNMA) chapter at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix created a display honoring famous Black historical figures in the medical field.

Tagwa Salih, a first-year medical student and a vice president for the U of A College of Medicine – Phoenix’s SNMA chapter, stated that the intention was to help share a bit of history with their fellow medical students. 

“The experience was to shed light on Black pioneers in medicine and in history, to display Black excellence, celebrate Black culture and create a space where people can learn and appreciate the legacy left by so many,” said Salih.

Featuring a table adorned with famous books written by Black authors, those passing by can also view a posterboard presentation dedicated to various Black doctors, nurses, practitioners and other pioneers in the field of medicine for all people.

Nina Koyilla, a first-year medical student and another a vice president for the college’s SNMA chapter, said she was particularly inspired by the story of Henrietta Lacks.

Lacks was an African American woman whose cancer cells became the first immortalized human cell line called the HeLa cell line. This cell line continues to be an important facet of medical research decades later.

“It’s a great — yet sad — story because Henrietta Lacks contributed so much and so many people do not know her name. They just know HeLa,” Koyilla said. “I’m glad we were able to shed light on her life and have her biography out for people to read.”

In addition to Lacks’s biography, other titles available to read include Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Black, Brown, Bruised: How Racialized STEM Education Stifles Innovation by Ebony Omotola McGee, and Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe.

Maleka Abdi, a first-year medical student at the college, discussed the importance of celebrating Black History Month and Black history in medicine.

“When we think of things such as the obstetrics and gynecology field, there were Black women who contributed so much to that, both willingly and unwillingly,” Abdi said. “It’s important to acknowledge those contributions and to highlight them so we can remember where they came from and remember the individuals who made such an impact on those fields, as well.”

On the white board, a question is posed for those attending: Which Black historical figure would you have dinner with? Names written on the board include Rosa Parks, Barack Obama, Billie Holiday and Frederick Douglas.

For first-year medical student Trevon Brooks, his answer for that question would be Muhammad Ali.

“He was such an influential figure, not only in the sports world, but for social justice and advocacy,” Brooks said. “He would be a really cool person to sit down and have dinner with because he’s got a wealth of knowledge that I would just love to learn from.”