"LADY DOCTOR"

"Black History Month Challenge"

LADY DOCTOR

Justina Laurena Warren Ford was the first African American female to be allowed to practice medicine in Denver, Colorado. She was born in 1871 and died in 1952. Justina Ford, better known as the "Lady Doctor", broke down barriers for blacks and all women of her time.

She was a true humanitarian and provided medical assistance to low-income and indigent people of all races. Her expertise in gynecology, obstetrics and pediatrics allowed her to deliver over 7000 babies over her fifty years of practice. My mother and aunt being two of them.

You won't find my grandmother's story in any history book. It was told to me on many occasions when discussing family genealogy. It all began in 1925.

Justina would go out in her little, "jalopy" as my grandmother called it, and visit many of her pregnant patients. Medicine was like black magic back then and women were afraid to go to doctors and many of Justina's patients didn't have any means of transportation. Thus, she would make house calls. Many times she was paid in the form of a bushel of corn, or a chicken and some eggs.

Dr. Ford treated many of the Hispanic migrant workers as well as many others who were discriminated against and not allowed in the hospitals for treatment. My grandmother stood barely five foot tall and was as big as a house at the time of her delivery. Her youngest brother, Nolan, lived with them, and when delivery time came, he was sent to fetch the "Lady Doctor".

He hopped on his bike and rode to Dr. Ford's house. "Della's gonna have her baby!" he cried to Dr. Ford.

Justina grabbed her medical bag and jumped in her jalopy to head out to grandma's house. Nolan went to his dad's store to tell him of the news. Great grandpa told him to let him know when the baby had arrived; he couldn't leave the store unattended.

When Nolan got back to grandma's, Dr. Ford informed him that a baby girl had entered the world and was doing just fine.

Nolan got back on his bike and rode to Great granddad's store again to give him the news. "Wonderful!" he said, "Just wonderful", and then went back to his work as Nolan rode back to the house.