272:
turn saved the lives of countless young children, and in 1930, operated a clinic that was free for
African-American children who needed medical treatment and vaccinations. Incredibly, Evans also found the time to raise 11 children who needed a home. Many of the children she became a mother to were children who were left at her practice, but she also brought up five children from relatives who were deceased. She taught the children respect, cleanliness, and manners, and provided them all with the opportunity for a college education that she also had. People, young and old, enjoyed the facilities that she shared at a recreational center which she had built on her 20-acre farm. Evans loved to swim, dance, knit and play the piano. Richland Memorial Hospital in Columbia has named an award in her honor which is truly deserving of the name and legacy she left behind. Evans ran her own farm like the one she grew up on and founded a weekly newspaper, The Negro Health Journal of South Carolina, and offered a program of recreational activities for underprivileged boys. Evans never married. At the age of 69, on November 17, 1935, Matilda Arabella Evans died in Columbia, South Carolina.
203:, and cared for patients in her own home until she established the Taylor Lane Hospital and Training School for Nurses, the first black hospital in the city of Columbia, in 1901. Dr. Evans took care of patients in her house before the establishment of the Taylor Lane Hospital because there were no medical facilities at the time that would allow an African-American physician to treat and admit patients. By 1907 Evans was able to write to Alfred Jones, Bursar at Woman's Medical College of Pennsylvania, "I have done well, and have a very large practice among all classes of people... I have had unlimited success... Since I have returned to my native state, others have been inspired and have gone to our beloved college to take degrees." She was writing to Alfred Jones on behalf of a promising young African-American woman who wanted to attend WMCP but was in need of scholarship assistance. Evans later established another hospital, St. Luke's Hospital and Training School for Nurses, which she directed until 1918.
236:
children. In 1916 Evans created the Negro Health
Association of South Carolina and two years later in 1918 she volunteered in the Medical Service Corps of the United States Army during World War I. Her work with poor communities encouraged her to found the Columbia Clinic Association in 1930, which provided health services (such as vaccinations and check-ups) and health education to impoverished families. Through the Negro Health Association of South Carolina Evans continued her mission of health education. Evans also founded the Good Health Association of South Carolina to help convince and inspire people that they could improve their own health by following sound health practices and safe sanitary habits.
187:
too feeble-minded to succeed in the demanding arena of academic medicine and too delicate to endure the physical requirements of clinical practice. One of the most serious barriers to the success of the college was the lack of clinical experience available to its students and interns because area hospitals would not allow women to attend lectures or to treat patients. To remedy this situation, Ann
Preston, M.D., a member of the College’s first graduating class, founded Woman’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and the college itself was housed in rented hospital space from 1862 to 1875. The college eventually built its own hospital, floor by floor as funds allowed, from 1903 until 1913.
232:
Evans Park and
Swimming Pool) among other countless benefits to Columbia’s black community. Throughout her life Evans also adopted seven children and eventually fostered over two dozen more. She also was responsible for largely contributing to the buying and equipping of The Dr. Evans Park and Swimming Pool for the public. Evans also conducted a survey of black school-age children in Columbia, South Carolina and found serious problems with their health care; she used the results to implement routine health examinations in schools.
263:(Vol. 31, Sept. 1912), by July 1912, doctors were being signed up for military service at a rate of 540 per week and it was estimated by the US Army that at least 50,000 doctors would be needed for the war effort. This high demand left many communities without doctors so the Volunteer Medical Services Corps (VMSC) was established to ensure that civilians were not left without adequate care. She was religious, and served as chair of the Council of the Episcopal Church Upper Diocese.
259:, chairman of the General Medical Board of the Council of National Defense, saw an opportunity to ease the burden on the medical system in the United States by utilizing this untapped source of medical expertise, and spearheaded the creation of the VMSC. The casualties of World War I strained the medical profession in the United States. According to the
496:
223:. Beginning in 1969, college credits were added to the curriculum. Today, these college credits in science and liberal arts are prerequisites to entering the nursing program. The School of Nursing is approved by the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing and was fully reaccredited in 1997 by the National League for Nursing, Accrediting Commission.
235:
Evans had a special concern for black children. She believed that health care should be a citizenship right and a governmental responsibility, much like education. She strongly advocated public health care and petitioned the State Board of Health of South
Carolina to provide free vaccines for black
182:
as medical education was not open to them. African
Americans seeking medical careers most often received their medical education in Canada or Europe, and a few from medical schools in the North. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, African Americans seeking a medical education were faced with
153:
in
Philadelphia, again with the help of her resourceful mentor, Schofield, who persuaded a wealthy benefactor, Sarah Corlies, to fund her education. The Alfred Jones to whom this letter is addressed was Secretary of the Executive Committee of the Board of Corporators of the Woman's Medical College
271:
Charity, compassion, and a love of children were the hallmarks of Dr. Evans' career; she charged only nominal fees. She rode bicycles, horses and buggies to visit the sick who were unable to go to her surgery for any reason. She provided for school physical examinations and immunizations, which in
254:
in the early years of World War I to meet the increasing demand for medical services at home. Every qualified doctor, male or female of any age, was able to apply for admission into the Corps. Senate Bill 1424, passed in April 1908, granted the US Army authority to set up a reserve body of medical
190:
As the first
African-American woman licensed to practice in South Carolina, Evans was able to treat both white and black patients, causing her services to be in great demand. She built up a large clientele of wealthy white women, who paid her sufficiently to allow her to treat poor black women and
186:
Evans becoming a surgeon was also the product and achievement of schools for women. In its early days, the Female
Medical College of Pennsylvania, or Woman's Medical College as it was renamed in 1867, faced serious opposition from the male medical establishment. Prevailing notions held women to be
362: : 20 February 2021), Matilda Evans in household of George Corley, Rocky Springs, Aiken, South Carolina, United States; citing enumeration district ED 13, sheet 180A, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), FHL microfilm 1,255,218.
231:
Matilda Evans was highly active in her community. In addition to establishing Taylor Lane
Hospital (which became St. Luke’s Hospital and Training School for Nurses after a fire destroyed the first hospital), she established a community health organization, a community center and a boys’ pool (Dr.
255:
personnel. This became the Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) and the unit remained active until 1917 when it was merged into the Officer's Reserve Corps. To qualify for admission into the MRC applicants had to meet certain criteria and, since many did not, they were left unable to serve their country.
214:
St. Luke’s Hospital was the fourth hospital in the country to operate a school for nurses. Today St. Luke's School of Nursing is the nation’s oldest hospital-based, diploma school in continuous operation. The reputation of the school flourished during the 1920s and '30s. During World War II, St.
500:
173:
in 1893. She received her M.D. in 1897 and moved to Columbia, South Carolina, where she was the first African-American woman to establish a medical practice in the state. Prior to the Civil War, most African Americans were enslaved, and very few free African Americans were trained
244:
In 1922 Dr. Matilda Evans became the only black woman in the United States to serve as the president of a state medical association when she became president of South Carolina's Palmetto M.A. Evans also served as a regional Vice President of the
38:
91:
Established the first hospitals to treat African American patients in Columbia, South Carolina. Promoted healthy lifestyle and preventative care to the African American community in the early decades of the 20th
210:
Vol 70 No 1 Feb 2004, The St. Luke's Hospital which was established by Dr. Evans was located in Columbia, South Carolina and consisted of fourteen rooms and twenty beds, a facility that she operated until 1918.
183:
difficult prospects. This continued into much of the 20th century, and although some black students were admitted into white medical schools and hospitals, they faced blatant racism, ostracism, and prejudice.
249:
and also established the Negro Health Journal of South Carolina. In World War I Evans was appointed to the Volunteer Medical Service Corps. The Volunteer Medical Service Corps was established by the U.S.
125:. Matilda was the oldest of three children and spent much of the beginning of her life working in fields alongside her family. She attended the Schofield Industrial School, which was established by
458:
925:
133:. Schofield assisted Evans with applying to college and became her mentor, later inspiring Evans to write her biography. Schofield helped Evans raise the funds needed for Evans to attend
428:
955:
754:
940:
950:
619:
590:
150:
945:
935:
170:
930:
466:
920:
649:
699:
678:
530:
297:
Hine, Darlene Clark (Feb 2004). "The Corporeal and Ocular Veil: Dr. Matilda A. Evans (1872-1935) and the Complexity of Southern History".
858:
809:
191:
children for free. Her large and rare interracial clientele were built up due to her great discretion and professionalism. She practiced
728:
420:
910:
355:
335:
390:
260:
915:
905:
556:
207:
776:
751:
246:
20:
251:
220:
157:
In 1897 Evans received a medical degree and abandoned her goal of becoming a medical missionary in Africa to move to
611:
582:
158:
773:"War Activities of Organized Homeopathy - American Homeopathy in the World War by Frederick M. Dearborn"
122:
641:
900:
895:
842:
703:
670:
141:. She left in 1892 after graduating in 1891 from Oberlin College to accept a teaching position at
314:
256:
522:
830:
797:
216:
724:
850:
306:
146:
142:
126:
106:
758:
386:
359:
339:
134:
846:
552:
332:
113:
and an advocate for improved health care for African Americans, particularly children.
110:
889:
138:
206:
According to historian Darlean Clark Hine, in an article on Evans which appeared in
352:
121:
Matilda Arabella Evans was born on May 13, 1866, to Anderson and Harriet Evans in
854:
772:
880:
196:
192:
175:
459:"Transcription Volunteers Expand Access to Stories of African American Women"
37:
553:"Female Medical College & Homeopathic Medical College of Pennsylvania"
179:
318:
200:
310:
219:
program. In 1962, the school was awarded full accreditation from the
130:
808:. Medical Society of the State of Pennsylvania: 649–651. July 1918.
410:
See: M Schofield and the reeducation of the South; K. Smedley, p.237
351:"United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (
342: : 29 May 2021), Tylda Evins in entry for Andrew Evins, 1870.
331:"United States Census, 1870", database with images, FamilySearch (
675:
Opening Doors: Contemporary African American Academic Surgeons
527:
Opening Doors: Contemporary African American Academic Surgeons
883:, National Museum of African American History and Culture
333:
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M8RR-HFW
87:
79:
71:
59:
47:
28:
747:
745:
677:. U.S. National Library of Medicine. 2010-12-14.
671:"More Notable African American Academic Surgeons"
105:(May 13, 1866 – November 17, 1935) was the first
353:https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M695-YZF
149:. After a year of teaching Matilda entered the
380:
378:
376:
374:
372:
370:
368:
926:Woman's Medical College of Pennsylvania alumni
752:"Matilda Evans healed much of South Carolina".
702:. St. Luke's School of Nursing. Archived from
577:
575:
573:
215:Luke’s School of Nursing was approved for the
8:
881:Guide to the Dr. Matilda A. Evans Collection
16:African-American physician in South Carolina
421:"Letter from Matilda Evans to Alfred Jones"
36:
25:
956:20th-century African-American physicians
227:Child and community health care advocacy
583:"Biography: Dr. Matilda Arabella Evans"
431:from the original on September 20, 2022
280:
171:Woman's Medical College of Pennsylvania
109:woman licensed to practice medicine in
75:Women's Medical College of Pennsylvania
941:20th-century American women physicians
491:
489:
487:
485:
483:
292:
290:
288:
286:
284:
831:"The Volunteer Medical Service Corps"
798:"Senior Military Medical Association"
589:. U.S. National Library of Medicine.
529:. U.S. National Library of Medicine.
385:Lanum, Mackenzie (20 November 2011).
7:
700:"About St. Luke's School of Nursing"
463:Smithsonian American Women's History
452:
450:
448:
446:
951:20th-century African-American women
642:"Slideshow | NMAAHC.A2019.109_ref2"
622:from the original on 5 August 2012
19:For the American ethnologist, see
14:
946:African-American women physicians
936:People from Aiken, South Carolina
503:from the original on 22 July 2020
931:20th-century American physicians
835:International Journal of Surgery
802:The Pennsylvania Medical Journal
261:International Journal of Surgery
861:from the original on 2023-06-16
812:from the original on 2023-06-16
779:from the original on 2012-02-03
731:from the original on 2013-12-02
681:from the original on 2020-06-15
652:from the original on 2022-03-09
618:. National Library f Medicine.
593:from the original on 2012-08-05
559:from the original on 2020-01-05
533:from the original on 2020-06-22
457:Turnbow, Diana (July 5, 2022).
393:from the original on 2012-10-28
387:"Evans, Matilda A. (1872-1935)"
299:The Journal of Southern History
208:The Journal of Southern History
921:Physicians from South Carolina
725:"1985: Matilda A. Evans, M.D."
1:
841:(1234): 312. September 1918.
616:Changing the Face of Medicine
587:Changing the Face of Medicine
499:. Gale Biography in Context.
612:"Dr. Matilda Arabella Evans"
247:National Medical Association
21:Matilda Coxe Evans Stevenson
855:10.1126/science.48.1234.187
771:Sawyer, Charles E. (2000).
252:Council of National Defense
221:National League for Nursing
972:
761:African American Registry.
18:
551:Cazalet, Sylvain (2004).
523:"Early Medical Education"
35:
911:Drexel University alumni
159:Columbia, South Carolina
66:Columbia, South Carolina
161:and set up a practice.
151:Woman’s Medical College
916:Oberlin College alumni
906:American obstetricians
240:Roles in organizations
169:Evans enrolled at the
103:Matilda Arabella Evans
101:, M.D., also known as
123:Aiken, South Carolina
54:Aiken, South Carolina
847:1918Sci....48Q.187.
757:2016-03-04 at the
427:. March 13, 1907.
425:doctordoctress.org
389:. The Black Past.
358:2021-11-21 at the
338:2021-11-21 at the
257:Franklin H. Martin
217:Cadet Nurse Corps
154:of Pennsylvania.
129:, a Philadelphia
96:
95:
63:November 17, 1935
42:Dr. Matilda Evans
963:
870:
869:
867:
866:
827:
821:
820:
818:
817:
794:
788:
787:
785:
784:
775:. Homeoint.org.
768:
762:
749:
740:
739:
737:
736:
721:
715:
714:
712:
711:
696:
690:
689:
687:
686:
667:
661:
660:
658:
657:
648:. October 1896.
638:
632:
631:
629:
627:
608:
602:
601:
599:
598:
579:
568:
567:
565:
564:
555:. Homeoint.org.
548:
542:
541:
539:
538:
519:
513:
512:
510:
508:
493:
478:
477:
475:
474:
465:. Archived from
454:
441:
440:
438:
436:
417:
411:
408:
402:
401:
399:
398:
382:
363:
349:
343:
329:
323:
322:
311:10.2307/27648310
294:
147:Augusta, Georgia
143:Haines Institute
127:Martha Schofield
107:African-American
40:
26:
971:
970:
966:
965:
964:
962:
961:
960:
886:
885:
878:
873:
864:
862:
829:
828:
824:
815:
813:
796:
795:
791:
782:
780:
770:
769:
765:
759:Wayback Machine
750:
743:
734:
732:
723:
722:
718:
709:
707:
698:
697:
693:
684:
682:
669:
668:
664:
655:
653:
640:
639:
635:
625:
623:
610:
609:
605:
596:
594:
581:
580:
571:
562:
560:
550:
549:
545:
536:
534:
521:
520:
516:
506:
504:
497:"Matilda Evans"
495:
494:
481:
472:
470:
456:
455:
444:
434:
432:
419:
418:
414:
409:
405:
396:
394:
384:
383:
366:
360:Wayback Machine
350:
346:
340:Wayback Machine
330:
326:
296:
295:
282:
278:
269:
242:
229:
167:
135:Oberlin College
119:
72:Alma mater
67:
64:
55:
52:
43:
31:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
969:
967:
959:
958:
953:
948:
943:
938:
933:
928:
923:
918:
913:
908:
903:
898:
888:
887:
877:
876:External links
874:
872:
871:
822:
789:
763:
741:
716:
691:
662:
633:
603:
569:
543:
514:
479:
442:
412:
403:
364:
344:
324:
279:
277:
274:
268:
265:
241:
238:
228:
225:
166:
165:Medical career
163:
118:
115:
111:South Carolina
94:
93:
89:
88:Known for
85:
84:
83:Medical Doctor
81:
77:
76:
73:
69:
68:
65:
61:
57:
56:
53:
49:
45:
44:
41:
33:
32:
29:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
968:
957:
954:
952:
949:
947:
944:
942:
939:
937:
934:
932:
929:
927:
924:
922:
919:
917:
914:
912:
909:
907:
904:
902:
899:
897:
894:
893:
891:
884:
882:
875:
860:
856:
852:
848:
844:
840:
836:
832:
826:
823:
811:
807:
803:
799:
793:
790:
778:
774:
767:
764:
760:
756:
753:
748:
746:
742:
730:
726:
720:
717:
706:on 2016-03-04
705:
701:
695:
692:
680:
676:
672:
666:
663:
651:
647:
643:
637:
634:
621:
617:
613:
607:
604:
592:
588:
584:
578:
576:
574:
570:
558:
554:
547:
544:
532:
528:
524:
518:
515:
502:
498:
492:
490:
488:
486:
484:
480:
469:on 2022-08-10
468:
464:
460:
453:
451:
449:
447:
443:
435:September 19,
430:
426:
422:
416:
413:
407:
404:
392:
388:
381:
379:
377:
375:
373:
371:
369:
365:
361:
357:
354:
348:
345:
341:
337:
334:
328:
325:
320:
316:
312:
308:
304:
300:
293:
291:
289:
287:
285:
281:
275:
273:
267:Personal life
266:
264:
262:
258:
253:
248:
239:
237:
233:
226:
224:
222:
218:
212:
209:
204:
202:
198:
194:
188:
184:
181:
177:
172:
164:
162:
160:
155:
152:
148:
144:
140:
139:Oberlin, Ohio
136:
132:
128:
124:
116:
114:
112:
108:
104:
100:
99:Matilda Evans
90:
86:
82:
78:
74:
70:
62:
58:
50:
46:
39:
34:
30:Matilda Evans
27:
22:
879:
863:. Retrieved
838:
834:
825:
814:. Retrieved
805:
801:
792:
781:. Retrieved
766:
733:. Retrieved
719:
708:. Retrieved
704:the original
694:
683:. Retrieved
674:
665:
654:. Retrieved
645:
636:
624:. Retrieved
615:
606:
595:. Retrieved
586:
561:. Retrieved
546:
535:. Retrieved
526:
517:
505:. Retrieved
471:. Retrieved
467:the original
462:
433:. Retrieved
424:
415:
406:
395:. Retrieved
347:
327:
302:
298:
270:
243:
234:
230:
213:
205:
189:
185:
168:
156:
120:
102:
98:
97:
51:May 13, 1866
901:1935 deaths
896:1866 births
646:edan.si.edu
305:(1): 3–34.
890:Categories
865:2013-11-24
816:2013-11-24
783:2013-11-24
735:2013-11-24
710:2013-11-24
685:2013-11-24
656:2022-08-10
597:2013-11-24
563:2013-11-24
537:2013-11-24
473:2022-08-10
397:2013-11-24
276:References
197:gynecology
193:obstetrics
176:physicians
117:Early life
80:Occupation
859:Archived
810:Archived
777:Archived
755:Archived
729:Archived
679:Archived
650:Archived
626:30 March
620:Archived
591:Archived
557:Archived
531:Archived
507:30 March
501:Archived
429:Archived
391:Archived
356:Archived
336:Archived
319:27648310
180:surgeons
92:century.
843:Bibcode
727:Aetna.
201:surgery
317:
199:, and
131:Quaker
315:JSTOR
628:2012
509:2012
437:2022
60:Died
48:Born
851:doi
307:doi
178:or
145:in
137:in
892::
857:.
849:.
839:48
837:.
833:.
806:21
804:.
800:.
744:^
673:.
644:.
614:.
585:.
572:^
525:.
482:^
461:.
445:^
423:.
367:^
313:.
303:70
301:.
283:^
195:,
868:.
853::
845::
819:.
786:.
738:.
713:.
688:.
659:.
630:.
600:.
566:.
540:.
511:.
476:.
439:.
400:.
321:.
309::
23:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
