The Impact of Black Physicians in Mississippi's Civil Rights Movement

I returned to my home state of Mississippi in 2022 for my first three years of medical practice, after completing my residency training. My goal was straightforward: Pay off student loans through a state-funded program while giving back to the community that raised me. But I didn't anticipate how much I would learn about the healthcare providers—especially Black physicians—and community leaders who helped shape the landscape of Mississippi's healthcare system. Their contributions extended far beyond medicine into the ongoing fight for justice and equity in the state.

However, despite advancements in education and healthcare infrastructure, Black physicians remain woefully underrepresented in Mississippi's healthcare workforce. While nearly 40 percent of the state's population is Black, less than 10 percent of its physicians are Black, according to the Mississippi State Board of Medical Licensure. This disparity highlights the persistent barriers to healthcare access and educational equity that must be dismantled. Reflecting on the risks and strides made by Black physicians to create a safer, better Mississippi helps us understand the importance of continuing their work to build a more progressive state.

The Mississippi Gulf Coast: Desegregating Healthcare and Beaches

One key figure in this legacy is Dr. Gilbert R. Mason Sr., a family physician and activist whose work I first encountered during my runs through Biloxi. I'd pass his mural along my route, commemorating his role in the "Wade-In" protests, which he initiated in 1959 to desegregate Biloxi's beaches. It wasn't until I attended a book signing at Pass Christian Books, a local bookstore in Pass Christian, Mississippi, that I truly grasped the magnitude of his contributions. There, I listened to people who had waded into the murky Gulf Coast waters beside Dr. Mason during those protests. As children, some of them had faced the violent forces of segregation, met with baseball bats and other weapons whenever they attempted to enter the Gulf Coast's waters.

When city officials offered Dr. Mason a segregated section for Black beachgoers, he rejected it outright, insisting that Black people deserved access to "every damn inch of it." This act of resistance wasn't just about public spaces—it was about demanding full inclusion and equality in every aspect of life. Dr. Mason's actions exemplified the broader civil rights struggle, one that sought to ensure equal access to opportunities for all, regardless of race.

In the clinical space, Dr. Mason faced resistance from medical institutions. The Mississippi State Medical Association (MSMA), a state chapter of the American Medical Association (AMA), denied him full membership, offering him only "scientific membership." Yet, despite this marginalization, Dr. Mason remained unwavering in his commitment to justice, recognizing the importance of platforms like the MSMA to advocate for his patients. 

Reflecting on Dr. Mason's work, I recognize that my own family, too, has contributed to this ongoing fight for justice. I remember participating in protests to remove the Confederate flag from the Gulf Coast beaches as a child. Despite intimidation—like the time someone released a black snake to scare us off on the beach—the courage of those who came before us was a powerful reminder of the continuing struggle for equality.

The Importance of Black Professional Organizations

The activism of figures like Dr. Mason was crucial during a time when national medical organizations like the AMA actively excluded Black physicians. As late as the mid-20th century, the AMA's policies marginalized Black doctors, blocking their full participation in medical institutions. To combat this, Black physicians formed their own organizations. One such group, the National Medical Association (NMA), was founded in 1895 and remains the largest association of Black physicians in the country, continuing to advocate for health equity today.

Regionally, through the Mississippi Medical and Surgical Association (MMSA), these efforts are far-reaching and include diverse initiatives, like a collaborative approach to healthy lifestyles and providing holistic care to people with diabetes and sickle cell, giving communities tools in the face of climate impact, and decreasing the impact of public health issues like high maternal mortality rates in Black communities. These organizations have been vital in providing support, resources, and advocacy that Black physicians were often denied by mainstream institutions.

Central Mississippi: Breaking Barriers in the State's Capital

My maternal great-uncle, Dr. Albert Bazaar Britton, a family physician in Jackson, Mississippi, exemplified the perseverance and activism of Black physicians during the Civil Rights era. As a child, I spent many hours with him and my grandmother at our local Piccadilly and his clinic office on the historically Black Farish Street, catching up on life. It wasn't until much later that I understood the significance of his work. At a time when most hospitals in Mississippi were still segregated, my uncle became the first African American physician to gain admitting privileges at Baptist Hospital in Jackson—albeit with a smaller panel of Black patients. This breakthrough was monumental.

Beyond his clinical work, my uncle was a staunch advocate for Black medical students, helping to create programs to mentor aspiring Black doctors and ensure they could serve their communities. His activism extended into the political sphere, where he served as President of the Mississippi Advisory Committee to the U.S. Civil Rights Commission after being appointed by President Dwight D. Eisenhower. In this role, he didn't shy away from discussing Mississippi's racial issues during Civil Rights hearings.

Uncle Albert's dedication to his community and his role in breaking down institutional barriers resonates with me today. He provided medical care to Medgar Evers, the Mississippi NAACP's first field secretary, shortly before Evers was assassinated in 1963. The quiet sacrifices made by Black physicians during this period were not only about healing in the exam room but also about fighting for justice on the front lines of the larger social battle.

The Mississippi Delta: Health Justice in the Birthplace of the Blues

In the Mississippi Delta, Dr. Theodore Roosevelt Mason (T.R.M.) Howard was another figure who embodied the intersection of medicine and civil rights. After training in California and Missouri for medical school and residency, he moved to the Delta, an area known for its agricultural communities and birthing blues and legends like B.B. King. Dr. Howard's work as the first chief surgeon at Taborian Hospital in Mound Bayou, known as the oldest all-Black town in the U.S. and founded by formerly enslaved Mississippians, was deeply tied to his activism.

Following the murder of Emmett Till in 1955, Dr. Howard became a vocal advocate for justice, publicly criticizing the federal government's mishandling of the case. His outspoken advocacy made him a target, forcing him to relocate to Chicago for his safety. Yet, his legacy in Mound Bayou and his vital role in the Civil Rights Movement continue to remind us that healthcare providers can—and should—use their platforms to push for social change.

Pushing Against Mississippi's Maternal Mortality Crisis

Despite progress, Mississippi continues to struggle with high maternal and infant mortality rates, which are higher than the national average with 22.1 cases for every 100,000 live births. In January 2025, I drove through the Delta and heard a radio program understandably calling for more healthcare providers in the region. Efforts like the Mississippi Rural Physician Scholarship Program are vital in addressing these disparities and attracting medical professionals to low-resourced areas.

Dr. Helen Barnes, who returned to Mound Bayou after completing her OB/GYN residency in New York, is one example of a physician working to address these needs. As the first board-certified Black OB/GYN in Mississippi, Dr. Barnes herself used loan repayment programs to alleviate her financial burdens while being able to provide care in a low-resourced, rural community in the Delta. Her return to Mississippi also marked her appointment as the first Black faculty member at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in 1969.

Continuing the Fight for Health Equity

Mississippi still faces significant health disparities, particularly in chronic diseases like diabetes and hypertension. These inequities are worsened by a long history of segregation, systemic inequality, and limited healthcare access, especially in rural areas. Not only is there a shortage of healthcare providers, but many hospitals are at risk of closure—in our state, 37 percent are at risk of immediately closing with 52 percent facing some sort of risk, per the Center for Healthcare Quality and Payment Reform. But despite the challenges, healthcare professionals across the state are building on the work of earlier generations. Black physicians continue to lead the charge, advocating for policy reforms, improved healthcare access, and systemic change.

Organizations like NMA and MMSA remain at the forefront of this fight, working to dismantle the structural inequalities in healthcare and pushing for policies that prioritize marginalized communities. While much work remains, the progress we've made stands as a testament to the persistence and courage of Black physicians who have never accepted a healthcare system that fails to serve all people equally.

The path to health equity in Mississippi is long and fraught with challenges. But inspired by the legacies of Dr. Barnes, Dr. Mason, Dr. Howard, my uncle, and countless others, we are forging a path forward—one where Black physicians and the fight for better health outcomes for all Mississippians are no longer the exception but the rule. Together, we are committed to creating a future where healthcare is a fundamental right for everyone, not a privilege reserved for a select few.

Returning to Mississippi as a 20-something-year-old physician felt like stepping into a narrative that had been shaped by the determination of those who came before me. Black physicians—many of whom were pioneers in the spaces and places they worked in—showed me that true change happens not just through policy but through the daily act of serving communities often overlooked by the larger healthcare system. 

As I join those who once mentored me as colleagues in organizations like the Mississippi Medical and Surgical Association (MMSA) and the National Medical Association (NMA), I feel both a deep connection to my past and an urgent drive to contribute to a new chapter. This work isn't about honoring a legacy for legacy's sake—it's about acknowledging the ongoing struggle for health equity and the role we play in transforming that struggle into tangible progress. 

In a state like Mississippi, where access to healthcare can still feel like a battle, I know that our efforts today will shape the health and future of entire communities tomorrow. I see a future where Black physicians, like those who inspired me, continue to lead in rural areas, ensuring that health and opportunity are not just for the fortunate few but for all.

Achieving health equity will require more than just treating illness. It will demand a comprehensive approach to addressing the root causes of health disparities—an approach that necessitates continued advocacy, education, and collaboration across every sector of society.