Dr. Matilda Evans, a pioneering African American physician, dedicated her life to improving healthcare for Black communities in the United States. Born on February 13, 1872, in Aiken, South Carolina, she grew up during a time when racism and sexism severely limited opportunities for Black women. Despite these challenges, she pursued a career in medicine and became one of the most prominent Black doctors of her time.
Dr. Evans attended Oberlin College in Ohio, studying chemistry and earning a bachelor’s degree in 1897. By 1901, she earned her medical degree from the Woman’s Medical College of Pennsylvania. Returning to South Carolina, she began practicing medicine in Columbia.
At the time, health care for Black Americans was often inadequate or inaccessible, due to segregation and racism. Determined to change this, Dr. Evans devoted herself to improving medical care for Black patients. She established the Columbia Clinic Association, a network of clinics that provided medical care to Black residents of Columbia and the surrounding areas. Her medical practice included obstetrics, gynecology and surgery for both Black and white patients. She built the first hospital for African Americans in Columbus, SC.
In addition to her work as a physician, Dr. Evans advocated for civil rights and social justice. She was an active member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and worked for voting rights and equal access to education for Black Americans. In 1922 she became president of the Palmetto Medical Association in South Carolina, the only Black woman in the US to lead a state medical association.
Throughout her career, Dr. Evans struggled to obtain funding and resources for her clinics, and faced discrimination and hostility from white patients and colleagues. Despite these challenges and obstacles , she remained committed to her mission and worked tirelessly to improve healthcare and advance social justice.
While Dr. Evans died in 1935, her legacy lives on. She was a trailblazer and a role model for generations of Black physicians and activists. Her dedication and perseverance in the face of adversity continue to inspire and motivate those who strive to make a difference in their communities.
