Celebrate Black History
Remembering the Early Defunct African American Pharmacy Schools
The rise of the first African American pharmacy schools coincided with the healthcare challenges that emerged after the Civil War, throughout the Reconstruction era, and during the enforcement of “Jim Crow” laws from the 1870s to the 1890s. Of the institutions established in that era, only Howard University and Xavier University of Louisiana College of Pharmacy remain today. Although seven of these schools have since closed, they played a crucial role in paving the way for ongoing diversity and inclusion in the field of pharmacy.
University of West Tennessee College of Pharmacy
Founded in 1900 by Dr. Miles Vandahurst Lynk and his wife, Beebe Steven Lynk, the University of West Tennessee (UWT) was established in Jackson, Tennessee. The university launched its pharmacy department in 1901, which evolved into the College of Pharmacy and was identified as such in all official catalogues and announcements beginning with the 1909 session. Originally a two-year curriculum, the program was extended to three years in 1906. Upon fulfilling all requirements, students received the Pharmaceutical Chemist (Ph.C.) degree. The College of Pharmacy ceased operations around 1923. While the exact number of UWT pharmacy graduates is unknown, the inaugural class began with four students. Graduation records indicate there were four graduates in 1903, five in 1910, three in 1911, and four in 1923. It is presumed there were additional graduates in other years, but detailed records have likely been lost or destroyed.
Frelinghuysen University School of Pharmacy
Frelinghuysen University was established in Washington, D.C., to provide educational opportunities for working-class African Americans who wished to further their studies while keeping their full-time jobs. To accommodate their schedules, classes were held in the evenings, outside of typical business hours. The university was named after Frederick Theodore Frelinghuysen, Sr., a U.S. senator from New Jersey, renowned for his advocacy of civil rights. The School of Pharmacy opened in 1917, offering courses on Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. Enrollment was open to both men and women, without restrictions based on race or religion. Students who completed the three-year curriculum and met all requirements received a Doctor of Pharmacy (Phar.D.) degree. The university lost its charter and closed in 1937. The exact number of Phar.D. graduates and those who became registered pharmacists is unknown. By the start of the 1920-1921 academic year, one group had finished the three-year program. However, specific graduation records have not been located. Records from 1921 list six third-year students, two in the second year, and twelve first-year students. The pharmacy program was last noted in school reports in 1926.
Washington College of Pharmacy
On October 4, 1921, Mr. Edward F. Harris and the founding faculty of the Frelinghuysen University School of Pharmacy received Articles of Incorporation in Washington, D.C., establishing the Washington College of Pharmacy. The college’s officers were Armistead T. Pride (Dean and President), Walter C. Simmons (Vice-President and Vice-Dean), William H. Jackson (Secretary-Treasurer), and William W. Whipple (Registrar). The Board of Trustees consisted entirely of pharmacists from the Colored Druggists’ Association of the District of Columbia. Mirroring their approach at Frelinghuysen University, the faculty initially conducted all classes at night. The opening night saw an enrollment of 50 students, and by the start of the Spring 1923 term, there were 25 seniors, 26 juniors, and 33 freshmen enrolled.
Shaw Leonard School of Pharmacy
Founded in 1881 in Raleigh, North Carolina, the Leonard School of Medicine and Pharmacy at Shaw University received approval from the North Carolina legislature. The pharmacy division began in 1890 as a three-year program, with each academic year lasting 32 weeks. Upon meeting all graduation requirements, students were awarded the Ph.G. degree. The inaugural graduating class in 1893 included only one student. Between 1893 and 1900, the school’s average annual enrollment was roughly six students, with about three graduates each year. By 1911, the Leonard School of Pharmacy had produced approximately 103 graduates. While Shaw University’s admissions were technically open to women, few female students were accepted into the pharmacy program. Pearle Rudolph Wassom became the first African American woman to earn the Ph.G. degree from the school in 1897, followed by Shelley O. Brown in 1909; together, they were the only two women graduates from 1897 to 1909. When the school closed in 1918, a total of 131 African American students had graduated from the pharmacy program. More than 80% of these graduates continued to serve in Southern states, providing essential pharmaceutical services to help address significant health disparities within African American communities.
Meharry Pharmaceutical College
Established in 1889 as part of Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tennessee, Meharry Pharmaceutical College began enrolling students in September 1890. The initial curriculum required two sessions of 20 weeks each, but was expanded to three sessions starting in the 1895–1896 academic year. Graduates who completed all requirements received a Graduate of Pharmacy (Ph.G.) degree, and in 1896, the college also began offering the Pharmaceutical Chemist (Ph.C.) degree. The college experienced its highest enrollment and graduation numbers between 1916 and 1925, but numbers started to decline after the 1928 session. When enrollment dropped below 20 students, the program concluded with the graduation class of 1936. Meharry Pharmaceutical College played a pivotal role in educating African American pharmacists in the South, graduating approximately 560 pharmacists between 1890 and 1936, including 82 women (15%). Over two-thirds of these graduates continued to work in the South, serving underserved African American communities, while others went on to employment or opened drugstores across the United States for the first time.
Louisville National Medical College Department of Pharmacy
The Louisville National Medical College (LNMC) was incorporated in the state of Kentucky on April 24, 1888. The school was founded by three African American physicians: Dr. William Henry Fitzbutler, Dr. William A. Burney, and Dr. Rufus Conrad. The Pharmaceutical Department opened with the start of the 1902-1903 session. There were two academic sessions divided into 12-week-terms for 24 weeks each year. The pharmacy program was later increased to three sessions, continuous for 28 weeks in 1903 and again to 30 weeks in 1907. Candidates were awarded the Pharmaceutical Chemist (Ph.C.) degree. In 1912, the LNMC medical school was forced to close. The Pharmacy Department was closely linked to the Medical Department and soon closed around the same time. The total number of students who enrolled and the total number of graduates in the LNMC Department of Pharmacy are unknown. Between 1902 and 1908, LNMC graduated two students from the Department of Pharmacy with the Ph.C. degree, which included Jessie Merchant (1904) and E. D. (Edward D.) Morrison (1906).
New Orleans University Flint College of Pharmacy
In September 1900, the New Orleans University College of Pharmacy of Flint Medical College opened in the state of Louisiana. The College of Pharmacy was a co-educational program whose educational focus was to produce African American pharmacists. The pharmacy curriculum was extended over three sessions of 28 weeks each year. Much of the course activity involved laboratory work in compounding, chemistry, and preparation of drug products. The classes were offered during the day and at night for working students. Students meeting all requirements were initially awarded the Pharmaceutical Chemist (Ph.C.) degree. In 1911, the College started awarding the Graduate in Pharmacy (Ph.G.) degree, which continued up until the school’s closing. The first class started in 1900, and four students were awarded degrees in 1903. In 1911, the Flint Medical College closed. The College of Pharmacy and Nurse Training School continued for a few years longer. By 1913, the College of Pharmacy had graduated approximately 60 African American pharmacists. Most of the pharmacy graduates (59%) remained in the South, primarily in the State of Louisiana, and thus filled a very needed void for pharmaceutical healthcare. In 1915, the New Orleans University Flint College of Pharmacy closed. In June 1930, New Orleans University and Straight College (formerly Straight University) merged and opened as Dillard University, as it is known today.