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Today marks the start of #BlackHistoryMonth and we wanted to start it off by telling you a bit about UofG alumnus James McCune Smith - the first African American to be awarded a medical degree anywhere in the world #UofGBHM20
James McCune Smith was born into slavery in 1813 in New York City. Despite being intellectually brilliant, he was denied entry to American universities due to his race. So he came to Scotland to study at the University of Glasgow.
Dr Smith earned three degrees at UofG, returned to New York in 1837 to open his own medical practice and pharmacy (the first African American owned and operated pharmacy in America) and became a leading figure for black civil rights and the abolitionist movement.
