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Black History Month spotlight: Paul Cornely—Keeping the Civil Rights Movement strong

They say if you have your health, you have everything. And Dr. Paul Cornely worked to ensure everyone could enjoy that special kind of abundance, no matter the color of their skin.

He was an integral force in expanding healthcare opportunities to all people through the desegregation of American hospitals, and he lent his work and expertise to some of the most significant events of the Civil Rights Movement.

And he did it all while making history himself, becoming the first African-American to be elected to several prestigious boards and positions and hold certain degrees at a time when very real—and dangerous—social and political roadblocks stood in his way.

5
 minute read
Last updated on 
April 4, 2024
Paul Cornely
In this article

The first of many firsts

While Dr. Cornely would go on to make history in the United States, his story actually starts far away from the continent. He was born in the West Indies, on the island of Guadeloupe, in the city of Pointe-a-Pitre, on March 9, 1906.

Still, his family moved to America early in his childhood. Cornely lived briefly in Harlem, New York, before finally moving to Detroit, Michigan, in 1920, where he would spend some of the most foundational years of his life.1,2 In fact, it was in Michigan where Cornely got his start on the many “firsts” that would come to mark his career. 

He enrolled at the University of Michigan—one of the few colleges accepting Black students at the time—going on to graduate in 1928 before deciding to further pursue his education there, matriculating to the university’s medical school. Before leaving with his MD in 1931, he became the first Black American student at the school to be elected to the Alpha Omega Alpha honor society.3

But he wasn’t nearly done with his “firsts.” Dr. Cornely continued his education at Michigan, going on to earn a PhD in public health in 1934, the first Black student in the United States to hold such a degree.2 And he would use these accomplishments to try to create an even bigger first for society at large: A healthcare system that served Black and White individuals as equals.

Breaking down barriers

Interestingly, through a large portion of the time Dr. Cornely studied at Michigan, the University was led by president C.C. Little. A controversial figure, Little was a vocal proponent of eugenics, a concept focused on arranging human reproduction to “better” the species by perpetuating certain genes or characteristics.5 The idea was sadly widespread and accepted at the time, before being almost universally denounced after it was adopted by the Nazis as a blueprint for their genocide in the 1930s.4

It’s unknown whether Little’s worldview influenced Cornely to become a resounding counterpoint in society, but the doctor did go on to accept an assistant professorship at Howard University's College of Medicine in Washington, D.C., where he was a celebrated teacher and researcher.3

It wasn’t long before Cornely became department chair, and by 1947, he had added medical director of Howard's Freedmen's Hospital and chief of Freedmen's Division of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation to his resume.3 All the while, he kept accumulating more “firsts.” Dr. Cornely became the first Black American to be elected president of the pro-National Health Insurance Physician's Forum and the first Black American to chair the Medical Care Section of the American Public Health Association (APHA).3

And after all that, he was just getting started.

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Medicating a movement

Throughout his career, Dr. Cornely was an outspoken advocate for social justice. As a professor at Howard, he worked on many research projects focused on the racism of the healthcare system at the time, including one titled “A Study of Negro Nursing,” where he argued that the education and employment of Black doctors and nurses was an important solution for helping right the racial imbalance he saw.1

He also worked tirelessly at the university’s hospital to promote desegregation. In 1956, he took that argument to the country, spearheading the Imhotep National Conference, which called on healthcare leaders to promote racial equality and focused on legal and political strategies to help make desegregation a reality.3

Nearly a decade later, he saw his hard work come to fruition. In 1964, his calls to action helped play a role in the landmark Supreme Court decision Simkins v. Moses H. Cone Memorial Hospital, in which the court moved to desegregate hospitals nationwide.2 And the year before, Conely played a pivotal part in one of the biggest moments in the Civil Rights Movement.

Deeply inspired by the messages of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Cornely was actively involved in the Movement, and in 1963, he served as the local medical coordinator for the March on Washington, collaborating with hundreds of medical workers to ensure the health and safety of the nearly 250,000 march participants.1

By the late 1960s, he was more deeply involved in the American Public Health Association, serving on the group’s Committee on Integration in Health Services and, in March 1967, representing the APHA at the first nationwide conference on the health status of the “Negro.”3

He closed out the decade with even more firsts, becoming the first Black American to be elected president of the APHA. (3) A few years later, in 1972, he was awarded the Sedgwick Medal, one of the group’s highest honors, for his tireless work in the fields of medicine, public health, and social justice.3

A healthier future

Dr. Paul Cornely continued working toward a more equal healthcare landscape throughout his life, going on to review papers for scientific journals well into his 90s before dying in 2002 at the age of 96.3

Along the way, he led a fascinating and impactful life. Unfortunately, many of the disparities he noted in his work persist today, with similar solutions—including a focus on educating and employing doctors and nurses from diverse backgrounds—still being called for more than 70 years later.6

While the work for equality is far from over, the advocates of today can stand on the shoulders of Dr. Cornely and use his groundbreaking research and vision to help further the cause, allowing his legacy to live on in a more perfect world.

Disclaimer about "overeating": Within Health hesitatingly uses the word "overeating" because it is the term currently associated with this condition in society, however, we believe it inherently overlooks the various psychological aspects of this condition which are often interconnected with internalized diet culture, and a restrictive mindset about food. For the remainder of this piece, we will therefore be putting "overeating" in quotations to recognize that the diagnosis itself pathologizes behavior that is potentially hardwired and adaptive to a restrictive mindset.

Disclaimer about weight loss drugs: Within does not endorse the use of any weight loss drug or behavior and seeks to provide education on the insidious nature of diet culture. We understand the complex nature of disordered eating and eating disorders and strongly encourage anyone engaging in these behaviors to reach out for help as soon as possible. No statement should be taken as healthcare advice. All healthcare decisions should be made with your individual healthcare provider.

Resources

  1. Ahmed, Z. (2021, July 15). Paul B. Cornely (1906-2002). Black Past. Accessed February 2024. 
  2. Paul B. Cornely. (n.d.) University of Michigan School of Public Health. Accessed February 2024. 
  3. Brown, T. M., & Fee, E. (2011). Paul B. Cornely (1906-2002): Civil rights leader and public health pioneer. American Journal of Public Health, 101 Suppl 1(Suppl 1), S164.
  4. Eugenics and Scientific Racism. (n.d.) National Human Genome Research Institute. Accessed February 2024.
  5. Stern, A. (2017, April 12). Why the C.C. Little Building Should be Renamed. University of Michigan. Accessed February 2024. 
  6. Boyle, P. (n.d.) Do Black patients fare better with Black doctors? Association of American Medical Colleges. Accessed February 2024.

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