麻豆APP

15 Best Facts about James McCune Smith

Originally published by Hamisi in January 2023, and, Updated by Hamisi in January 2024

James McCune Smith was born into slavery on April 18, 1813, and passed on November 17, 1865. Having spent only 52 years on this earth, he made a mark as an accomplished physician, apothecary, abolitionist, and author amongst other achievements. A native of Manhattan, he was the first African American to hold a medical degree from the University of Glasgow in Scotland and also the first to run a pharmacy in the nation.

Known more for his intellectual abilities, he used his training in medicine and statistics to refute common misconceptions about race, intelligence, medicine, and society in general. He was also honoured to be a founding member of the New York Statistics Society in 1852, which promoted a new science. He went on to be elected as a member in 1854 and also served in the recently founded American Geographic Society. He was never admitted to the American Medical Association or local medical associations due to racism at that time.

1. He Defied His Social Class and Racism At That Time To Achieve The Impossible

Born to a runaway slave and raised in poverty in one of the most deprived areas of New York, James McCune Smith was able to study at a time when Slavery was thriving and African Americans were not being given opportunities. This was the driving force for him to study at the University of Glasgow. He obtained a bachelor’s degree in 1835, a master’s degree in 1836, and a medical degree in 1837. Not only was this impressive but was also something to be proud of.

More stories here

2. He Was The First African American To Hold A Medical Degree

He is the first African American to hold a medical degree and graduated at the top of his class at the University of Glasgow, Scotland. And he did it in style, taking a very short time to accomplish this and defeating most of his classmates. He was also the first African American to run a pharmacy in the United States. Armed with his degrees Smith returned to Manhattan in 1837 and was greeted as a hero by the black community. He said at a gathering, “I have striven to obtain education, at every sacrifice and every hazard, and to apply such education to the good of our common country.鈥� This served as a motivation to other African Americans.

More exciting stories here

3. Smith Was Also A Public Intellectual

 In addition to serving as the resident physician for nearly 20 years at the Colored Orphan Asylum in Manhattan, Smith was a public intellectual. He used his training and experience to contribute articles to medical journals, participated in learned societies, and wrote numerous essays and articles. Further, his intellectual prowess was used to refute common misconceptions about race, intelligence, medicine, and society in general.

4. He Served As A Member of Prestigious Academic bodies

Sitting among the academic giants of his time, he was among the founding members of the New York Statistics Society in 1852, which promoted a new science, and also served as a member of the prestigious American Geographic Society. But, he was never admitted to the American Medical Association or local medical associations.

5. He Was Known To Provide Leadership In The Abolition Movement

The American social reformer has been most well-known for his leadership as an abolitionist; a member of the American Anti-Slavery Society. Through his works as an activist with Frederick Douglass, they started the National Council of Colored People in 1853, the first permanent national organization for blacks. Douglass said that Smith was 鈥渢he single most important influence on his life.鈥�

Notably, Smith was one of the Committee of Thirteen, who organized in 1850 in New York City to resist the newly passed Fugitive Slave Law by aiding fugitive slaves through the Underground Railroad.

6. He Advocated For The Rights of African Americans

Dr. McCune Smith was recognized as a strong voice and advocate for African Americans. He was known to have been actively involved in immigration and the racially charged New York City draft riots. Importantly, he always insisted on rational behaviour, seeking to prevent self-destructive violence. McCune Smith sought to block retaliation against white slaveholders. He stated, 鈥淭o overcome slavery and oppression, people of colour must refute the principle that 鈥渕ight make right,鈥� by showing that 鈥渞ight makes right鈥�.

Get more information about New York

7. Dr. McCune Published Many Essays And Delivered Many Lectures

McCune Smith published no book during his lifetime. However, he published many essays and delivered many lectures. His essays and lectures were published on cheap newsprint, making them difficult to save and pass down to future generations. Sadly, his papers were never collected, making his writings difficult to find and access.

8. Most Of His Works Were Promoted Posthumously By His Descendants

Though Smith accomplished a lot in his lifetime, he did not get much recognition as his children had refused to promote their father鈥檚 legacy since they regarded themselves as white. However, it was during one of the great-granddaughter鈥檚 efforts while studying black history that she discovered her family connection. Coincidentally, she was completing an essay on McCune Smith when she discovered the name James McCune Smith inscribed in a family Bible belonging to her grandmother, Antoinette Martignoni. Together, the descendants determined that James McCune Smith was their direct descendant. From this point on, they proudly promoted his remarkable legacy and their African-American heritage.

9. He Was Also the First African American Known to Be published In A British Medical Journal

Researchers have also confirmed that Dr. McCune Smith was also the first African American known to be published in a British medical journal. They further say that he used this platform to reveal a cover-up by an ambitious medical professor who was experimenting on vulnerable women in Glasgow in the 1830s. He was also interested in writing about medicine, science, pharmacy, literature, and geography. Further, he wrote about the people and world around him including a series of literary portraits of working-class African Americans of New York.

10. His Publications Represent A Significant Early Chapter In The History Of How Black Activists Sacrificed

McCune Smith’s publications represent a significant early chapter in the history of how black activists have worked tirelessly over the past two centuries to disentangle erroneous interpretations of scientific data from discriminatory claims about poverty, gender and race. They are a good source of information showing the relationships between race, science and technology that exist today. Thus his name will remain in the history books for a very long time.

11.  He Established the First Black-Owned Pharmacy

James McCune Smith was a pioneer in breaking down racial barriers in 19th-century America. After becoming the first African American to earn a medical degree, he opened a pharmacy in lower Manhattan in 1837, making it the first Black person-owned in the United States. At a time when segregation was still the norm, McCune Smith’s pharmacy served both white and Black customers equally. His business thrived and allowed him to achieve financial independence while also providing essential community service. McCune Smith’s success as a pharmacist demonstrated African Americans’ capabilities and foreshadowed the achievements of Black entrepreneurs to come.

12. The Abolitionist also Founded the National Council of Colored People 

James McCune Smith and Frederick Douglass collaborated to form the National Council of Colored People in 1853. Decades before the NAACP, this organization was the first of its sort to establish a national African American civil rights organization. As the Council’s president, McCune Smith brought together Black leaders and activists nationwide to promote racial equality. In addition to giving Black communities financial assistance and educational opportunities, they battled against discrimination in public transportation and the Fugitive Slave Act. The NDespite its brief existence, theonal Council was a trailblazing endeavour in uniting African Americans to seek their rights, des route for subsequent civil rights organizations was paved by its legacy.

13. He Is Remembered for Putting Up a Spirited Fight Against the Fugitive Slave Act 

A passionate abolitionist, James McCune Smith vocally criticized the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 which required the return of escaped slaves to their masters. He published scathing critiques of the legislation, calling it unconstitutional and a violation of human rights. As a leader of the National Council of Colored People, McCune Smith helped circulate anti-slavery literature and provided legal aid to blacks claimed as fugitives. He also sheltered runaway slaves in his home as part of the Underground Railroad resistance. McCune Smith bravely defended freedoms in defiance of unjust laws. Through his writings and direct actions, he fought tirelessly against the Fugitive Slave Act and the institution of slavery as a whole.

14. He Pioneered in Advocating for Black Self-Reliance 

James McCune Smith was ahead of his time in emphasizing the value of African Americans being economically and educationally empowered by self-reliance. He concentrated on establishing Black communities since he thought it was pointless to depend on white society for growth. As the pioneer of the first Black-owned drugstore, McCune Smith lived up to his words. He exhorted other activists to start Black media, companies, schools, and churches. Through his publications, he promoted African Americans’ financial independence and intellectual growth. For McCune Smith, Black people in a racist society could not achieve true equality and respect unless they exercised their right to self-determination. His self-help and unity-promoting philosophy had an impact on later civil rights movements.

15. He was also known to Be a Dedicated Family Man Despite His Schedule

While James McCune Smith was a pioneering activist and intellectual, he was also a devoted husband and father. He married Malvina Barnet in 1840 and they had three children. McCune Smith worked to provide a comfortable life for his family in New York City, even as he spent long hours writing and organizing for civil rights causes. He emphasized the importance of education to his children and strove to be a caring, involved parent. His letters reveal a man deeply committed to his family, full of affection and pride in their accomplishments. Despite his public leadership roles, McCune Smith always made time for private family life. He exemplified not just the tireless crusader but also the loving, supportive patriarch.

 

---

These 15 facts offer a glimpse into the extraordinary life and impact of James McCune Smith. He remains a powerful symbol of resilience, intelligence, and unwavering commitment to justice, leaving an enduring legacy that continues to inspire generations.