Olive Myrtle Henderson
Olive Myrtle Henderson | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1877 Chicago |
| Died | June 14, 1957 |
| Nationality | African American |
| Occupation | Dentist |
Olive Myrtle Henderson (1877-1957) was the second African American woman dentist in the city of Chicago and the first African American woman to graduate with a degree in dentistry from Northwestern University.[1]
Henderson was born in Chicago in 1877. As a young woman she was a patient of Ida Gray Nelson Rollins, the first African American female dentist in the United States.[2] Ida Gray Nelson Rollins had graduated from the University of Michigan in 1890.[3] It was Henderson's experience with Ida Gray Nelson Rollins that inspired her to become a dentist. Henderson graduated from Northwestern University in 1908.[1] A little over a decade before Henderson graduated, Emma Ann Reynolds graduated as the first Black woman to receive a medical degree in 1895[4]
In 1911, Henderson married Thomas Sterling Officer. Officer had been a practicing physician in Chicago since 1906. Together they had a daughter named Mercedes.[1] In 1912 Henderson established a private practice in Chicago's South Side. She retired in 1948 after 40 active years as a dentist. She was also an active member of the National Association of Colored Women and her church St. Thomas Episcopal.[1][2]
References[edit]
- ^ a b c d "Northwestern's African American Medical and Dental Pioneers" (PDF). Galter Health Sciences Library and Learning Centre. 2020-03-07. Retrieved 2022-02-25.
- ^ a b "Honoring the Contributions of Black Americans in Dentistry". Mortenson Dental Partners. 2021-02-01. Retrieved 2022-02-25.
- ^ "Women Who Inspire Us: Ida Gray Nelson Rollins | Center for Women's Health | OHSU". www.ohsu.edu. Retrieved 2022-02-25.
- ^ "Celebrating Black Alumni at Northwestern University". www.alumni.northwestern.edu. Retrieved 2022-02-25.