Jean L. Harris facts for kids

Jean Louise Harris (born November 24, 1931 – died December 14, 2001) was an amazing American doctor and politician. She made history as the first Black woman to graduate from the Medical College of Virginia. Later, she became a professor there. She was even chosen by Governor John N. Dalton to be the Virginia Secretary of Human Resources.

Jean Harris later moved to Minnesota. There, she ran for lieutenant governor and then became the mayor of Eden Prairie. She served as mayor until she passed away in 2001.

Jean Harris's Early Life and Education

Jean Harris was born in Richmond, Virginia. Her father, Dr. Vernon Harris Sr., was a well-known African-American doctor. Jean was the oldest of her mother's two children. Her younger sister, Dr. Diane Harris Marsh, became a famous dentist. Diane was married to Henry L. Marsh, a Civil Rights attorney and Virginia state senator. Henry Marsh was also Richmond's first African-American mayor.

Jean Harris was a very talented pianist. She competed in many classical piano competitions across the United States.

She attended Armstrong High School and graduated in 1947. Douglas Wilder, who became the first African-American governor in Virginia and the United States, was her neighbor and classmate. They went to Armstrong High School and Virginia Union University together.

Harris graduated with honors from Virginia Union University in 1951.

Breaking Barriers in Medical School

Jean Harris made history by being the first African-American person admitted to a medical school in Virginia. This was the Medical College of Virginia, which is now part of Virginia Commonwealth University.

She shared that before medical school, she had rarely been around many white people. She also noted that her classmates were unsure what to expect from her. She said, "The only blacks they had seen had been principally in their kitchens."

Despite this, she found it to be a good experience. She worked on both white and Black patient wards. She delivered babies for both white and Black mothers. She felt it was a positive experience for the medical college and for her. It also helped white patients see a Black doctor for the first time.

One of her classmates, Hunter McGuire Jr., came from a famous medical family. He admitted he was "not prepared for Jean." He grew up in a very traditional Southern environment. He said his classes had always been all-male and all-white. He learned a lot from the experience.

Jean Harris graduated in 1955. She was among the top five students in her class. Her achievements were even featured on the cover of Ebony Magazine in July 1955.

Jean Harris's Medical and Academic Career

After medical school, Jean Harris spent three years as an intern and resident at the Medical College of Virginia. She then completed more training at the University of Rochester.

In the 1970s, she became a professor at the School of Medicine. She also held teaching positions at Howard University and Johns Hopkins University. She was the executive director of the National Medical Association Foundation. She was also the first full-time African-American faculty member at the Virginia Commonwealth University Medical College of Virginia.

Later, she led a medical research foundation for the St. Paul Ramsey Medical Center. She also served as the director of medical affairs at the University of Minnesota Hospital and Clinic. She was a member of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences.

Jean Harris's Political Career

In 1978, Jean Harris became the first African American cabinet member in Virginia. Governor John Dalton appointed her as the Secretary of Human Resources.

Her hard work was recognized by the National Governors’ Association. They gave her a special award for her service in 1981.

She also served as the Chief of the United States Bureau of Resources Development. She was a consultant for several U.S. government departments. These included the Department of Health, Education and Welfare and the Agency on International Development. She also advised Congress during the Johnson and Nixon administrations.

Later, Jean Harris became Vice President and a health lobbyist for Control Data Corporation in Minnesota. She was the first African-American person to run for a statewide office in Minnesota. She ran in the Republican primary for Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota in 2000.

In 1996, Jean Harris made history again. She became the first female and first African-American mayor of Eden Prairie, Minnesota. She served as mayor until 2001. She was also a member of the United States Conference of Mayors.