From NKAA, Notable Kentucky African Americans Database (main entry)
Kentucky Medical Society of Colored Physicians, Pharmacists, and Dentists
(start date: 1898)In 1898, a group of African American physicians established the Kentucky Medical Society of Colored Physicians, Pharmacists, and Dentists. The organization was referred to by several different names during its existence and was the first and only statewide medical association for African Americans in Kentucky.
The goal of the association was to present a unified voice with recognition to the faces and names of African American medical professionals in Kentucky. And to share and advance the science of medicine and the expertise of medical providers with the support of medical education for African Americans in Kentucky.
Membership to the Kentucky Medical Association (for whites) was denied to African American physicians until 1969, when Dr. James W. Hammons became a member.
A history timeline of the annual meetings of the Kentucky Medical Society of Colored Physicians, Pharmacists, and Dentist was gathered from Kentucky newspapers and is listed below. There are also a few names of board members. No archival collection for the organization has been located at this time.
1898
Dr. Otho Dandrith Porter from Logan County, KY, and Dr. B. F. Jones of Danville, KY, were two of the organizers of the Kentucky Medical Association for Colored Doctors. Dr. Porter's medical practice was in Bowling Green, KY.
1899
The first meeting of the Kentucky Medical Association for Colored Doctors was held in Lexington, KY, on May 8, 1899. Dr. B. F. Jones of Danville was president.
Source: "Colored. Lexington doctors on program of Paris meeting." Lexington Leader, 03 May 1905, p.3.
1900
The 2nd Annual Meeting of the Colored Medical Association of Kentucky was held in Lexington, KY, May 8th and 9th. Dr. B. F. Jones of Danville was president.
Source: "Danville and Vicinity. Colored M.D's." The Tri-Weekly Kentucky Advocate, 04 May 1900, p.5.
1901
The Third Annual Session of the Kentucky Medical Association for Colored Doctors was held in Frankfort, KY, May 8-10. There were white doctors in attendance. New officers elected were Dr. E. E. Underwood from Frankfort, President; Dr. J. W. Mebane from Paris, Vice President; Dr. T. T. Wendell from Lexington, Secretary; Dr. J. E. Hunter from Lexington, Treasurer.
Source: "Colored doctors meet." Lexington Leader, 12 May 1901, p.14.
1902
The Fourth Annual Session of the Colored State Medical Association was held at the First Baptist Church (colored) in Danville, KY, May 8-9. Dr. J. E. Hunter was elected President; Dr. C. L. Agnew from Harrodsburg, Secretary; Dr. B. F. Jones from Danville, Treasurer.
Sources: "Colored Doctors." The Tri-Weekly Kentucky Advocate, 05 May 1902, p.3; "Colored Doctors." The Tri-Weekly Kentucky Advocate, 09 May 1902, p.5.
1903
The 5th Annual Meeting of the Kentucky Medical Association of Colored Physicians, Dentists, and Pharmacists was held in Winchester, KY, May 6-8. The last day's session was held in Lexington, KY, to allow attendees to discuss the hospital facilities in the city. Dr. J. E. Hunter of Lexington was the presiding president.
Source: "Colored Doctors." Lexington Leader, 06 May 1903, p.4.
1904
The 6th Annual Session of the Colored Medical Association was held at the 9th Street Methodist Church in Covington, KY. The elected officers were President, Dr. J. H. Holmes of Winchester; Vice President, Dr. A. D. Kelly of Covington; Secretary, Dr. B. F. Jones of Danville; and Treasurer Dr. W. H. Gwinn of Richmond.
Sources: "Medical Association Elects Officers." The Kentucky Post, 07 May 1904, p.8; "Colored Medical Association in Session." The Lexington Herald, 12 October 1904, p.2.
1905
The 7th Annual Session of the Medical Society of Colored Physicians, Pharmacists, and Dentists of Kentucky was held in Paris, KY. Dr. H. H. Holmes of Paris was named the new president.
Source: "Colored Medical Society." The Sun=Sentinel, 04 May 1905, front page.
1907
The 9th Meeting of the State Colored Doctors, Dentist, and Druggist was held in Georgetown, KY.
Source: "Colored physicians meet at Georgetown." Owensboro Daily Messenger, 09 May 1907, front page.
1908
The 10th Annual State Colored Medical Association Meeting was held May 13th and 14th at the main auditorium of the 13th Street and Broadway A. M. E. Z. Church in Louisville, KY. It was the first time the meeting was held in Louisville. The city host was the Falls City Colored Medical Association (the Louisville Colored Medical Association).
Source: "Colored physicians to entertain state body." The Courier-Journal, 10 May 1908, p.4.
1909
The 11th Annual Session of the Colored Medical Association of Kentucky met at the Corinthian Baptist Church in Frankfort, KY, May 12th-14th. The meeting had the largest number of attendees ever.
Source: "Colored physicians to gather at Frankfort." The Courier-Journal, 09 May 1909, section 4, p.1; "Colored Doctors." The Lexington Leader, 13 May 1909, p.4.
1910
The 12th Annual State Colored Medical Association met in Lexington, KY.
Source: "Blue Grass Medical Society." The Lexington Leader, Afternoon Edition, 09 January 1910, p.5.
1911
The Colored State Medical Association met in Mt. Sterling, KY.
Source: "Colored Column." The Winchester News, 06 May 1911, p.4.
1912
The Colored Medical Association met in Covington, KY.
Source: "Our Colored Citizens." The Public Ledger, 08 May 1912, p.4.
1913
The Colored State Medical Association held its annual session in Louisville, KY. Dr. H. C. Tinsley, from Georgetown, was elected president.
Sources: "Colored Column." The Winchester Sun, 17 May 1913, p.4; "Colored Column." The Winchester Sun, 31 May 1913, p.5.
1916
The Colored State Medical Association was held in Richmond, KY.
Source: W. W. Banks. "Colored Column." Winchester Sun, 13 May 1916, p.2.
1917
The 19th Annual Session of the Medical Society of Negro Physicians, Pharmacists, and Dentists of Kentucky was held in Winchester, KY on May 9th and 10th.
Source: W. W. Banks. "Colored Column. Colored Medical Society Meeting Here." The Winchester Sun, 09 May 1917, p.4.
1918
The 20th Annual Session of the Medical Society of Negro Physicians, Pharmacists, and Dentists of Kentucky was held in Nicholasville, KY.
Source: "Colored Medical Society." The Jessamine Journal, 10 May 1918, front page.
1919
The Kentucky Colored State Medical Association held its meeting in Louisville, May 14-15.
Sources: "The Colored State Medical Association." The Winchester Sun, 24 March 1919, p.5; "Not a Colored doctor in town." The Winchester Sun, 15 May 1919, p.7.
1920
The Colored State Medical Association held its meeting in Maysville, KY.
Sources: "Seen and heard while passing." The Winchester Sun, 10 May 1920, p.7; "Colored physicians had a splendid meeting." Public Ledger, 17 May 1920, front page.
1921
The Colored State Medical Association held its annual meeting in Louisville, KY.
Source: "Dr. McCormack addressed Negro medicos." The Winchester Sun, 13 May 1921, p.5.
1922
The Colored State Medical Association held its annual meeting in Winchester, KY.
Source: "Colored State Medical Association." The Winchester Sun, 21 March 1922, p.6.
1923
The Colored State Medical Association held its 25th annual meeting at the Dunbar School in Lexington, KY. There were over 40 members in attendance and it was said to be the largest attendance in several years. The presiding officers were Dr. N. J. Ridley of Lexington and Dr. A. C. McIntyre of Louisville.
Source: "Colored Notes. The Twenty-fifth annual session ..." The Lexington Herald, 10 May 1923, p.2.
1925
The Annual Convention of the Colored State Medical Association of Physicians, Dentists, Pharmacists was held in Lexington, KY. Dr. J. A. Lattimore of Louisville was the presiding president.
Sources: "Colored Medical Association opens state meeting here." The Lexington Leader, 13 May 1925, second section, p.7; "Colored physicians hold clinics as part of state convention." The Lexington Leader, 14 May 1925, second section, p.5.
1927
The State Medical Association of the Colored Doctors, Dentists, and Pharmacists of Kentucky met in Lexington, KY, May 11-13.
Source: "Colored Column. Broadway Weekly Bulletin." The Winchester Sun, 09 May 1927, p.5.
1930
In the 1930 U.S. Census, there were 50 African American physicians and surgeons, 13 dentists, no data for pharmacists in Kentucky.
Source: United States Bureau of the Census website. 1930 Census: Volume 4. Occupations, by States. Kentucky. Occupation Statistics. Table 11, p.599. Online.
1932
Dr. John Knox Polk was president of the Colored State Medical Society.
Source: "Dr. John Knox Polk succumbs in Florida." The Lexington Leader, 18 March 1936, p.12.
1940
The enumerated number of African American medical professionals increased in Kentucky in the 1940 U.S. Census: 92 physicians and surgeons (2 women), 29 Dentists (1 woman), and 15 pharmacists.
Source: United States Bureau of the Census website. 1940 Census of Population: Volume 3. The Labor Force. Occupation, Industry, Employment, and Income. Part 3. Kentucky. Table 13, pp.143 & 147. Online.
1950
There were 72 African American physicians in Kentucky, according to the Bluegrass State Medical Association (African American Association in Lexington, KY). The organization had published a letter in the Courier-Journal in response to African American physicians being denied membership to the Kentucky Medical Association (for whites).
There were about 36 dentists and 21 pharmacists enumerated in the U.S. Census Schedules.
Source: "Door slammed in our faces." The Courier-Journal, 23 January 1950, p.6; Census schedules in Ancestry.com.
1951-1968
Rather than admit African American members, the Kentucky Medical Association (KMA) attempted to establish its own Negro Medical Society, starting in 1951. Which was not how it was initially explained in the newspapers. African American physicians declined the offer. In 1968, the American Medical Association (AMA) revised its bylaws to prohibit the denial of membership to African American physicians. Both the Kentucky Medical Association and the Fayette County Medical Association claimed to have had African American members for several years. The following year, 1969, KMA admitted its first African American member, Dr. James W. Hammons.
Sources: "Kentucky Medical Association votes to take Negro members for the 1st time." The Courier-Journal, 03 October 1951, p.21; "Doctors ban Negro members." The Kentucky New Era, 09 October 1952, p.8; "Medical group acts to accept Negro members." Atlanta Daily World, 07 October 1953, front page; "Move is started to set up society of Negro Doctors." The Glasgow Times and Evening Journal, 05 May 1954, p.8; "Equality in the AMA." The Lexington Herald, 06 December 1968, p.4.