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Biography · Science & Inventions

James Derham

Born 1762

United States

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Biography

James Derham (also known as James Durham; May 2, 1762 – 1802?) was an American physician and emancipated slave who was the first African American to formally practice medicine in the United States. Despite practicing medicine he never received an M.D. degree.

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Biography text · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Source checked 2026-10-13

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