Clarence Sumner Janifer facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Clarence Sumner Janifer Sr.
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| Born | March 13, 1886 Virginia
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| Died | November 14, 1950 (aged 64) |
| Education | Homeopathic Medical College of the State of New York (1915) |
| Spouse(s) | Una Marie |
| Children | Clarence Janifer Jr. |
Clarence Sumner Janifer Sr. was an important doctor who lived from 1886 to 1950. He made history by becoming the very first African American member of the Medical Society of New Jersey.
Growing Up and Education
Clarence Janifer was born in Virginia on March 13, 1886. After his mother passed away, his father, George Sr., moved the family to Newark, New Jersey. George Sr. worked hard as a school janitor to support Clarence and his brother, George. Their uncle Joe and a housekeeper also lived with them in their home on Ridge Street in Newark.
In 1906, Clarence finished Newark High School with excellent grades. He then went to Syracuse University in New York. In 1915, he graduated from the Homeopathic Medical College of the State of New York. Clarence passed the New Jersey medical exam on his first try. He returned to Newark and also passed the city's clinic doctor exam with a very high score.
Serving in the Military
In 1917, Dr. Janifer chose to join the army's Medical Reserve Corps. During World War I, he served as a medical officer. He was part of the 372nd Infantry Regiment Medical Corps. This unit was one of the first American groups to arrive in France during the war.
Dr. Janifer became very skilled at leg amputations. Many soldiers suffered from serious foot injuries due to conditions in the trenches. On December 13, 1918, he received the Croix de Guerre. This French award recognized his bravery and help for wounded soldiers under fire.
Medical Career
Before the war, Dr. Janifer worked in Newark as a children's doctor. In 1916, he joined the National Medical Association. He was also the first African American to become a member of the Medical Society of New Jersey.
After the war, he worked for the Newark Health Department in different part-time roles. For much of his career, Dr. Janifer worked in a very poor area of Newark. He was later put in charge of Newark's Well Baby Clinic for African American children. In the mid-1920s, he joined the surgery team at Mercy Hospital in Philadelphia.
Dr. Janifer wrote several articles for the Journal of the National Medical Association. These articles shared what he learned from his work at the Well Baby Clinic. He wanted to teach African American mothers about good hygiene and nutrition for their children. He hoped this would help reduce the high number of deaths among African American children.
In 1946, he was asked to join the pediatrics department at Newark City Hospital. He was the second African American doctor to be invited, after Dr. E. Mae McCarrol. In 1948, Dr. Janifer was honored in the Hall of Fame by the New Jersey Herald Times. He earned two master's degrees in public health. He practiced medicine in Newark for 35 years until he passed away.
Family Life
Dr. Janifer was married to Una Marie, who used to be a teacher at Tuskegee Institute. They had one son, Clarence Jr., who was born in the early 1920s. Clarence Jr. grew up to become an oceanographer, studying the ocean.
Clarence Sr. passed away on November 14, 1950, in Newark, New Jersey, from cancer. His wife, Una, lived for 13 more years. She continued to be an activist, working for important causes. Before she died in 1963, Una received the Brotherhood Award from the Newark Human Rights Commission. She also got an award from the Council Against Intolerance in America.
