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 | Physician | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Research | Hematology | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Wilhelm Delano Meriwether (born April 23, 1943) is an American doctor and a former track and field athlete. He is well-known for leading a big US government program to give shots (immunizations) during the 1976 swine flu outbreak. He was also a top runner, winning the 1971 US outdoor track and field championship in the 100-yard dash.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Delano Meriwether was born in Nashville, Tennessee, USA. His parents were both teachers. His father, Wilhelm R. Meriwether, later became a principal at Burke High School in Charleston, South Carolina. Delano went to school there.
High School Years
At Burke High School, Delano played the saxophone in the school band. He was also a member of the Science Club. He didn't play much sports in high school. People thought he was too small for basketball and football. He graduated from Burke High School in 1960.
Path to Medicine
While still in high school, Delano worked at a hospital for animals. When he was 16, he won an award from the American Veterinary Medical Association. This was for his research on tiny bugs found inside dogs. After high school, he received a scholarship to study at Michigan State University. He first studied to become a vet for two years. Then, he changed his studies to become a doctor.
After three years, he graduated from Michigan State. He then became the first African American student to be accepted into Duke University School of Medicine. He graduated with honors in 1967. Later, he earned a special degree called a Master of Public Health from Johns Hopkins University.
Medical Career
After finishing his studies at Duke, Dr. Meriwether worked as an intern at the Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. An internship is like a training period for new doctors. After that, he started a residency at Ohio State University Medical Center.
Specializing in Blood Health
He later became a specialist in hematology. This is the study of blood and blood diseases. He wrote many important papers about his research. In the early 1970s, he worked at the Baltimore Cancer Research Center. There, he did research on Leukemia, which is a type of blood cancer. From 1973 to 1974, he was chosen as a White House Fellow. This is a special program for young leaders to work in the US government.
Leading a National Health Program
In 1976, Dr. Meriwether became the Director of the National Influenza Immunization Program (NIIP). He was a special assistant to a top health official. The NIIP aimed to give flu shots to over 200 million people in six months. This was a huge effort! Many doctors and companies were worried about problems. But Dr. Meriwether became the public face of this important health campaign.
Work in South Africa
In 1983, he moved to Gazankulu in South Africa. He worked there as a doctor helping people in need. He was one of only six doctors treating 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
Dr. Meriwether started running competitively in 1970. At that time, he was working at the Baltimore Cancer Research Center. To train, he would climb over a fence at the nearby Johns Hopkins University track. He would run at night in the dark.
A Unique Runner
Because he was new to competitive running and wore unusual clothes, Dr. Meriwether caught the attention of the news. He even appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated magazine. He was also featured in Time magazine.
Dr. Meriwether became famous as a runner in June 1971. This was at the Amateur Athletic Union USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon. He won the 100-yard dash. His appearance at the event was very unusual. He wasn't part of any school team. He wore a hospital shirt, gold and white suspenders, and swimming trunks.
The most amazing part of that day was his time for the 100-yard dash. He ran it in nine seconds flat. He was only the second runner ever to do this. However, his time didn't count as a new record. This was because the wind was helping him run faster.
Olympic Dreams and Retirement
In 1972, Dr. Meriwether became the United States Indoor Track and Field Champion. But he got a knee injury. This stopped him from trying out for the United States team for the 1972 Summer Olympics. Another injury later prevented him from trying for the 1976 Summer Olympics. After that, he stopped competing regularly. He decided to focus on his medical career.
For several years, he ran in masters events. These are races for older athletes. In 1978, he ran the 200-meter race in 20.8 seconds. This is still a national record for his age group (35-39 years old).
Family Life
Delano Meriwether is married to Nomvimbi Meriwether. She runs a travel agency that specializes in trips to Africa. Their daughter, Nana Meriwether (born in 1985), represented Maryland in the 2012 Miss USA Pageant. She was later named the new Miss USA 2012 on December 19. This happened after the previous Miss USA, Olivia Culpo, became Miss Universe 2012.
