Biography Alexander Thomas Augusta

1 biography

1.1 medical training
1.2 medical career
1.3 american civil war
1.4 activism against discrimination
1.5 later years

biography

augusta born in 1825 free people of color in norfolk, virginia. young man, began learn read while working barber, although illegal free blacks in virginia @ time. state had restricted rights of free people of color following nat turner slave rebellion of 1831.

augusta moved baltimore while still in youth. began pursuing education in field of medicine. married baltimore native mary o. burgoin on january 12, 1847.

medical training

augusta applied study medicine @ university of pennsylvania refused admission. although faced institutionalized racism later in career, university cited inadequate preparation in rejection of him. augusta persisted in education , arranged private instruction doctor on faculty. determined become physician, augusta travelled california , earned funds pursue goal of becoming doctor.

concerned not allowed enroll in medical school in u.s., in 1850 enrolled @ trinity college of university of toronto. conducted business druggist , chemist. 6 years later received degree in medicine.

medical career

augusta remained in toronto, canada west, establishing medical practice. city of toronto appointed him director of industrial school. supported local antislavery activities, supported american movement. founded provincial association education , elevation of coloured people of canada, literary society donated books , other school supplies black children. augusta left canada west indies in 1860, returning baltimore @ beginning of american civil war in 1861.

american civil war

augusta went washington, d.c., wrote president abraham lincoln offering services surgeon. given presidential commission in union army in october 1862. on april 4, 1863, received major s commission surgeon african-american troops. made him united states army s first african-american physician (of total of eight) , highest-ranking african-american officer @ time. appointed lead freedman s hospital in washington, dc in 1863, becoming first black hospital administrator in u.s. history.

some whites resented augusta s having such high rank; while wearing officer s uniform, mobbed in baltimore during may 1863 (where 3 people arrested assault) , in incident in washington. on october 2, 1863 commissioned regimental surgeon of seventh u.s. colored troops. in march 1865, awarded brevet promotion lieutenant colonel, , left service following year @ rank.

activism against discrimination

while in military, augusta spoke out discrimination suffered african americans in society. on february 1, 1864, augusta wrote judge advocate captain c. w. clippington discrimination against african-american passengers on streetcars of washington, d.c.:

sir: have honor report have been obstructed in getting court morning conductor of car no. 32, of fourteenth street line of city railway.

i started lodgings go hospital formerly had charge of notes of case give evidence in, , hailed car @ corner of fourteenth , streets. stopped me , when attempted enter conductor pulled me back, , informed me must ride on front driver against rules colored persons ride inside. told him, not ride on front, , said should not ride @ all. ejected me platform, , @ same time gave orders driver go on. have therefore been compelled walk distance in mud , rain, , have been delayed in attendance upon court. therefore respectfully request offender may arrested , brought punishment.

his letter printed in new york , washington newspapers. on february 10, 1864, massachusetts senator charles sumner introduced resolution in congress:

resolved, committee on district of columbia directed consider expediency of further providing law against exclusion of colored persons equal enjoyment of railroad privileges in district of columbia.

to support resolution, sumner read assemblage dr. augusta s letter. edward bates, attorney general in president abraham lincoln s cabinet, belittled incident , senators supported sumner. earlier in career, in st. louis, missouri, had defended slaves in freedom suits.

in 1865 augusta wrote letter major general lewis wallace, protesting unequal treatment of african-american train passengers, forced sit in segregated sections. letter preceded plessy vs ferguson case challenged racial segregation on public transportation in u.s. on march 13, 1865, brevetted rank of lieutenant colonel.

on february 26, 1868, augusta testified before united states congressional committee on district of columbia regard mrs. kate brown. mrs. brown, employee of congress , african american, had been injured when employee of alexandria, washington, , georgetown railroad forcibly ejected passenger car. railroad prohibited federal charter discrimination against passenger because of race.

later years

mustering out of service in october 1866, augusta accepted assignment freedmen s bureau, heading agency s lincoln hospital in savannah, georgia. while there, encouraged african-american self-help, urged freedmen support independent institutions, , gained respect city s white physicians.

augusta returned private practice in washington, d.c. attending surgeon smallpox hospital in washington in 1870. served on staff of local freedmen s hospital, had directed period during war.

augusta taught anatomy in organized medical department @ howard university november 8, 1868, july 1877, becoming first african american appointed faculty of school , of medical college in u.s. received honorary degrees of m.d. in 1869 , a.m. in 1871 howard in recognition of contributions.

despite accomplishments, dr augusta repeatedly refused admission local society of physicians. on june 9, 1869, augusta , charles burleigh purvis proposed membership of medical society of dc, branch of american medical association. considered eligible, did not receive enough votes. black physician, a. w. tucker, proposed on june 23, rejected. in response, these 3 formed national medical society. feared exclusion impede progress of younger african-american physicians in city, , worked against such racial discrimination.

he died in washington on december 21, 1890, interred full military honors @ arlington national cemetery. buried in section 1, lot 124a, map grid g/33.

augusta s headstone reads follows: commissioned surgeon of colored volunteers, april 4, 1863, rank of major. commissioned regimental surgeon of 7th regiment of us. colored troops, october 2, 1863.

brevet lieutenant colonel of volunteers, march 13, 1865, faithful , meritorious services-mustered out october 13, 1866.