Audrey F. Manley facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Audrey Manley
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| Surgeon General of the United States | |
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Acting
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| In office January 1, 1995 – June 30, 1997 |
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| President | Bill Clinton |
| Preceded by | Joycelyn Elders |
| Succeeded by | J. Jarrett Clinton (acting) |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Audrey Forbes Manley
March 25, 1934 Jackson, Mississippi, U.S. |
| Education | Spelman College (BS) Meharry Medical College (MD) Johns Hopkins University (MPH) |
Audrey Forbes Manley (born March 25, 1934) is an American doctor and public health leader. She has achieved many "firsts" in her career. In 1962, she became the first African-American woman to be the chief resident doctor at Cook County Children's Hospital in Chicago.
In 1988, she also became the first African-American woman to reach the rank of Assistant Surgeon General. This is a high-ranking position similar to an admiral in the navy. Manley later served as the acting Surgeon General of the United States. The Surgeon General is the top doctor for the country, responsible for public health. She also became the eighth president of Spelman College.
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Early Life and Inspiration
Audrey Elaine Forbes was born on March 25, 1934, in Jackson, Mississippi. Her parents were Ora Lee Buckhalter and Jesse Lee Forbes. Soon after she was born, her family moved near Tougaloo College in Mississippi. She was the oldest of three sisters. Her family worked as tenant farmers, which means they farmed land owned by someone else.
Two things inspired Audrey to become a doctor. First, her grandmother passed away, which made her want to help people with their health. Second, her seventh-grade science teacher encouraged her to pursue a career in medicine. During World War II, her family moved to Chicago, Illinois.
Education and Achievements
In 1951, Manley graduated from Wendell Phillips High School in Chicago. She was the valedictorian, which means she had the best grades in her class.
She then went to Spelman College, a famous college for women in Atlanta, Georgia. She studied biology and also took many chemistry and math classes. She graduated with honors in 1955. After Spelman, she went to Meharry Medical College on a full scholarship and earned her medical degree in 1959. Many years later, in 1987, she earned a Master's degree in Public Health from Johns Hopkins University.
A Career of Helping Others
Medical Career
Manley started her medical career in 1962. She completed her training, called a residency, at Cook County Children's Hospital in Chicago. There, she was appointed chief resident, becoming the first African-American woman to hold that important job. While working as a doctor, she also taught pediatrics (the study of children's health) to nursing students.
In 1970, after getting married, Manley moved to Atlanta. She became the Chief of Medical Services at Grady Memorial Hospital's family planning clinic. At the same time, her husband was the president of Spelman College. As the president's wife, or "First Lady" of the college, she started programs to help students who wanted careers in health care.
Public Health Service
In 1976, Manley joined the U.S. Public Health Service as a captain. She continued to work in children's health and medical education at many universities. Manley also studied sickle cell disease, a serious blood disorder. She worked hard to get government money for research to find better treatments.
Starting in 1989, Manley held several important government jobs. She was the first Black woman to be the main deputy assistant for public health. From 1995 to 1997, she served as the acting Surgeon General of the United States. During her time as the nation's top doctor, she taught Americans about the importance of being active and exercising for good health.
President of Spelman College
From 1997 to 2002, Manley was the 8th president of Spelman College. Spelman is a historically black college for women in Atlanta, Georgia. She was the first graduate of Spelman to be chosen as its president.
Her husband, Dr. Albert E. Manley, had also been president of Spelman from 1953 to 1976. He was the college's first African-American and first male president. Under Audrey Manley's leadership, Spelman continued to be a top-ranked school. It also received a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, a very prestigious honor society for college students.
Personal Life and Service
Manley has always been passionate about helping others. She once worked for a group called Crossroads Africa, where she ran a children's ward in a hospital in Nigeria. She also worked in San Francisco to provide medical care for children with difficult health problems.
She met her future husband, Albert Manley, when she was a student at Spelman. At the time, he was the college president. She convinced him to let her take advanced science classes at a nearby men's college. They met again years later and married in 1970.
Legacy and Honors
Dr. Manley has received many awards for her work. These include honors from the National Council of Negro Women, the U.S. Public Health Service, and the YWCA. She has also received honorary degrees from colleges.
In 2002, Spelman College named its science building the Albro Falconer Manley Science Center, partly in her honor. Though she retired in 2002, she continues to be involved in organizations that support education and family health.
