Ida Gray | |
|---|---|
 Ida Gray Nelson, 1900 | |
| Born | March 4, 1867 |
| Died | May 3, 1953 (aged 86) |
| Nationality | American |
| Other names | Ida Gray Nelson, Ida Rollins |
| Alma mater | University of Michigan |
| Occupation | Dentist |
| Years active | 1875–1928 |
| Known for | first African-American dentist in the United States |
Ida Gray (also known as Ida Gray Nelson and Ida Rollins; March 4, 1867 – May 3, 1953) was the first African-American woman to become a dentist in the United States.[1]
At a very young age she became an orphan when her parents died. Later in her life she became interested in dentistry when she went to work in the offices of Jonathan Taft,[2] an early advocate for women to learn dentistry. After her apprenticeship in his office, Gray was able to pass the entrance examinations and then attended the University of Michigan School of Dentistry. When she graduated, it was widely published that she was the first African American dentist in the United States and she was promoted as a role model for women to follow. Gray practiced in Ohio before settling in Chicago, where she remained until her death. She practiced for more than thirty years.[3]
- ^ "Doings Of The Race." Cleveland Gazette (Cleveland, Ohio), October 12, 1889: 1. Readex: African American Newspapers.
- ^ Taft, Jonathan (1859). "A Practical treatise on operative dentistry". The Dental Register. 13 (6). Lindsay & Blakiston: 295–296. PMC 6914489. PMID 33697951.
- ^ Bolden, Tonya (March 3, 2020). Changing the Equation: 50+ US Black Women in STEM. Abrams. ISBN 978-1-68335-629-5.