Louis T. Wright

Louis Wright
Sculpture of Wright by William E. Artis
Chair of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
In office
1934–1952
Preceded byMary White Ovington
Succeeded byChanning Heggie Tobias
Personal details
Born
Oswald Garrison Villard

(1891-07-23)July 23, 1891
LaGrange, Georgia, U.S.
DiedOctober 8, 1952(1952-10-08) (aged 61)
New York City, New York, U.S.
EducationAtlanta University (BS)
Harvard University (MD)
Civilian awardsSpingarn Medal
Military awardsPurple Heart

Louis Tompkins Wright (July 23, 1891 – October 8, 1952)[1] was an American surgeon and civil rights activist. In his position at Harlem Hospital he was the first African-American on the surgical staff of a non-segregated hospital in New York City. He was influential for his medical research as well as his efforts pushing for racial equality in medicine and involvement with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), which he served as chairman for nearly two decades.[2][3]

  1. ^ Appiah, Kwame Anthony; Gates Jr., Henry Louis, eds. (2004). "Wright, Louis Tompkins". Civil Rights: An A-to-Z Reference of the Movement That Changed America. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Running Press. p. 464.
  2. ^ "Kenyon College". Northbysouth.kenyon.edu. Archived from the original on October 20, 2017. Retrieved February 1, 2012.
  3. ^ "Wright, Louis T. (Louis Tompkins), 1891–1952. Papers, 1879, 1898, 1909–1997: Finding Aid". Harvard Medical Library, Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine. June 13, 2007. Archived from the original on October 11, 2016. Retrieved November 9, 2014.