Recognition and Respect: Contextualizing the History and Contributions of Black American Plastic Surgeons

Abstract

Summary: Recently, there has been heightened interest in the history of Black American plastic surgeons and their contributions to the field of plastic and reconstructive surgery (PRS). Despite the increased awareness and attention toward the lack of racial and ethnic diversity of the PRS workforce, the history of how PRS became one of the most ethnically segregated surgical specialties remains unexplored. Here, we outline the various political and cultural factors that contributed to the exclusion of Black practitioners from American PRS professional societies. This work contextualizes the rise of American PRS within the Jim Crow era and highlights the cultural significance of reconstructive procedures performed in the treatment of disfigured soldiers. Through this lens, we identify circumstances where Black surgeons were systematically denied opportunities to participate in the emerging specialty. Despite these barriers, we demonstrate how Black physicians established informal networks for professional advancement and shed light on several previously unrecognized contributions to PRS from Black surgeons. In addition, we explore how the inclusion of Black voices in PRS sparked a paradigm shift in the treatment of non-White patients that expanded the cosmetic marketplace in ways that remain significant today. Finally, we situate the ongoing disparities in Black representation in PRS within a broader historical narrative and illustrate how the stories we tell about our past continue to shape the future of our field.

A Historical Review of Racial, Ethnic, and Gender Diversity in Plastic Surgery at the University of Michigan

“…He eventually became the nation's first black residency program director. 4 Dr. Walter Scott Brown was a contemporary of Dr. Garnes, who went on to practice plastic surgery and was appointed as a Clinical Associate Professor of Surgery at the University of Washington. He later received an honorary doctorate for excellence in teaching surgical residents.…”

“…Garnes and Brown, faced institutional barriers to board certification that prevented them from becoming members of the American Association of Plastic Surgeons (AAPS) and the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS). 4 The 1950s and 1960s Civil Rights era led to integration within the American Medical Association and its affiliated societies. On April 27, 1968, Dr. Vincent Porter became the first black physician to be certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS), a milestone in the field.…”

“…On April 27, 1968, Dr. Vincent Porter became the first black physician to be certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS), a milestone in the field. 4 Unfortunately, URiM representation continued to remain low. 5…”

“…William Matory and Ferdinand Ofodile became the first black members of the AAPS in 1994 and 1995, respectively. 4 The 2000s and 2010s continued the trend toward improving ethnic and racial diversity, but at a slower pace. In 2006, black and Hispanic representation among plastic surgery faculty remained stubbornly low at 1.4 and 3.6%, respectively.…”

“…16 19 20 In 2019, Dr. Kerri Woodberry was installed as the first black female chief of a plastic and reconstructive surgery division at West Virginia University. 4…”