Delano Meriwether facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Delano Meriwether
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| Born | April 23, 1943 |
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| Education | Michigan State University Duke University Johns Hopkins University |
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| Years active | 1967-present | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| Medical career | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Profession | Doctor | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Research | Hematology | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Wilhelm Delano Meriwether, born on April 23, 1943, is an American doctor and a former track and field athlete. He is famous for leading a big US government health program. This program aimed to give shots to many people during the 1976 swine flu outbreak. He was also a top US champion in track and field, winning the 100-yard dash in 1971.
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Early Life and Education
Delano Meriwether was born in Nashville, Tennessee. His parents were both teachers. His father, Wilhelm R. Meriwether, later became a principal. Delano went to Burke High School in Charleston, South Carolina.
At Burke High, he played the saxophone in the school band. He was also a member of the Science Club. He was considered too small for basketball and football. Delano graduated from Burke High School in 1960.
Early Research and College
While in high school, Delano worked at a hospital for animals. At 16, he won an award for his research. This research was about parasites found in dogs.
After high school, he got a scholarship to Michigan State University. He first studied to become a vet for two years. Then he switched to studying to become a doctor. He graduated from Michigan State after three years.
Becoming a Doctor
Delano Meriwether made history at Duke University. He was the first African American to be accepted into their School of Medicine. He graduated with honors in 1967.
Later, he earned another degree from Johns Hopkins University. This degree was in Public Health. It helped him learn about keeping large groups of people healthy.
Medical Career
After finishing medical school, Delano Meriwether started his training. He did an internship at Penn State. Then he began a residency at Ohio State University.
He chose to specialize in hematology. This is the study of blood and blood diseases. He published many papers about his research. In the early 1970s, he studied Leukemia at a cancer research center.
Leading a National Health Program
In 1976, Dr. Meriwether took on a huge role. He became the director of a national program. This program aimed to give shots to people across the United States. It was called the National Influenza Immunization Program (NIIP).
The goal was to give over 200 million people shots against swine influenza. This needed to happen in just six months. Many doctors and companies were worried about problems. Dr. Meriwether became the public face of this big effort.
Work in South Africa
In 1983, Dr. Meriwether moved to South Africa. He worked there as a missionary doctor. He was one of only six doctors helping half a million people. Later, he lived and worked in the Soweto township.
Dr. Meriwether returned to the United States in 1990. He then worked as an Emergency Room doctor.
Athletic Achievements
Delano Meriwether started competitive running in 1970. At the time, he was working at a cancer research center. To train, he would climb a fence at a nearby university track. He ran at night in the dark.
His unique training and clothes caught the media's eye. He appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated magazine. He was also featured in Time magazine.
Becoming a Champion Runner
Meriwether became famous as a runner in June 1971. He won the 100-yard dash at a big championship in Oregon. His appearance was unusual for several reasons. He was not part of any school team. He wore a hospital shirt, suspenders, and swimming trunks.
The most amazing part was his time for the 100-yard dash. He ran it in nine seconds flat. He was only the second person ever to do this. However, his time was not counted as a record. This was because the wind helped him run faster.
Olympic Dreams and Retirement
In 1972, Meriwether became the US Indoor Track and Field Champion. But a knee injury stopped him from trying out for the 1972 Olympic Games. Another injury later prevented him from trying for the 1976 Olympics.
After these injuries, he stopped competing regularly. He decided to focus on his medical career.
Masters Athletics
For many years, he ran in events for older athletes. These are called masters events. In 1978, he ran the 200-meter race in 20.8 seconds. This is still a national record for his age group (35-39).
Personal Life
Delano Meriwether is married to Nomvimbi Meriwether. She runs a travel agency that specializes in tours to Africa. Their daughter, Nana Meriwether, was born in 1985. She represented Maryland in the 2012 Miss USA Pageant. Nana was named Miss USA 2012 after the previous Miss USA became Miss Universe.
