What Happened to America’s First Black Doctor?

James Durham, whose name is also written Derham, made history by becoming the first Black doctor in the United States. Durham's death is also shrouded in mystery and ambiguity, sadly, as he vanished one day and was never heard from again.

The future doctor was born a slave in Philadelphia about 1762, and during the first 20 years of his life, different doctors owned him. James was taught to read and write not only in English but also in French and Spanish by one of them, John Kearsley. Robert Dow, a Scottish doctor who resided in New Orleans, served as Durham's last tutor. He pushed Durham to pursue a career in medicine and gave him permission to treat some of his patients.

James Durham attained his freedom in 1783. He was able to start his own practice in the city, though it's unclear if he paid for it or Dow awarded it. Durham's proficiency in several languages and his willingness to accept patients of diverse racial origins were two major factors in its success for many years.

For Durham, things were going well. Even Benjamin Rush, a founding father and possibly the most well-known physician in the nation at the time, started writing to him. Durham visited his hometown of Philadelphia one more in 1801. After only a year, he vanished and was never seen or heard from again. Some believe he relocated to another location to practice medicine, while others worry that he may have been murdered by those who were jealous of his success.