Harold E. Pierce facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Harold E. Pierce Jr.
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Pierce in 1993
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| Born | April 4, 1922 |
| Died | October 25, 2006 (aged 84) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
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| Alma mater | Lincoln University, Howard University School of Medicine |
| Known for | Cosmetic Surgery and Dermatology |
| Scientific career | |
| Institutions | Howard University, University of Pennsylvania, Harlem Hospital |
Harold E. Pierce Jr. was a Brigadier General in the U.S. Air Force. He was a famous American skin doctor and cosmetic surgeon. Dr. Pierce worked in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania for over 48 years.
He created new ways to do cosmetic surgeries, especially for people of color. He worked on things like treating scars called keloids, hair transplants, and special skin treatments. People called him "The Father of Black Cosmetic Surgery."
Contents
Early Life and Family
Harold E. Pierce Jr. was born on April 4, 1922. His hometown was Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His parents were Mary Leora Bellinger Pierce and Harold Ernest Pierce, Sr. His mother was a talented classical pianist.
Harold was the older of two sons. His mother passed away when he was only seven years old. After that, his grandparents, Lillian A. Willets and Warren Wood Pierce, raised him. They lived in Bridgeton, New Jersey.
On November 22, 1945, Harold married Constance Ella Mason. She was a mathematician and a teacher in Philadelphia. They were married for 44 years until she died in 1989. Dr. Pierce had three children and four grandchildren. His two younger children became cosmetic surgeons and dermatologists, just like him.
Education and Training
After finishing Bridgeton High School in New Jersey, Harold went to college. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Lincoln University in 1942. Then, he went to medical school at Howard University College of Medicine. He became a medical doctor (MD) in 1946.
Dr. Pierce completed his first year of training at Harlem Hospital in New York City. He then specialized in skin care (dermatology) at Philadelphia General Hospital. He also did advanced training at the University of Pennsylvania's Graduate School of Medicine.
Military Service
In 1951, during the Korean War, Dr. Pierce joined the military. He became the Chief of Dermatology at the 1600 USAF Hospital. This hospital was located at Westover Air Force Base in Massachusetts.
Later, in 1954, he worked as a General Medical Officer. He served with the 111th Fighter Bomber unit. After many years of service, he left the Air Force National Guard in 1976. In 1987, he was promoted to the rank of Brigadier General on the Retired list. He was the second African American to reach this high rank.
Civil Rights and Writing
Dr. Pierce was also involved in the Civil Rights Movement. Even as a child in the 1930s, he helped share Black Newspapers. These papers worked to stop the terrible lynchings that happened to African Americans in America.
He also wrote an important book. It was called Cosmetic Plastic Surgery in Nonwhite Patients. This book was published in 1982. Dr. Pierce also taught for 17 years. He was an assistant professor of dermatology at Howard University.
Later Life and Legacy
Dr. Harold E. Pierce Jr. passed away at age 84 in Philadelphia. He died from complications related to cancer. He continued to work as a doctor every day until he was 83 years old. More than 500 people attended his funeral.
