Joyce Yerwood facts for kids

Ursula Joyce Yerwood (born in January 1909, died October 2, 1987) was a very important doctor. She was the first African American woman doctor in Fairfield County, Connecticut. She also started the Yerwood Center, which was the first community center for African Americans in Stamford, Connecticut.

About Joyce Yerwood

Her Early Life

Joyce Yerwood was born in Victoria, Texas. Her mother, Melissa Brown Yerwood, was a teacher but sadly passed away soon after Joyce was born. Her father, Charles Yerwood, was also a doctor. At that time, there were fewer than twenty African American doctors in all of Texas. Joyce's father often took her and her sister, Connie, with him when he visited patients at their homes. This experience made both sisters want to become doctors too.

Her Education and Training

Joyce Yerwood went to the Eliza Dee Home, a special school for African American girls. She graduated from Samuel Huston College in Austin, Texas, in 1928.

After college, Joyce and her sister, Connie, both went to Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tennessee. They were the only two female students in their first year of medical school. During their time there, they faced challenges because they were women. One of their teachers even told them he didn't believe women should be doctors.

Despite these difficulties, Joyce Yerwood worked hard and graduated with honors in 1933. She then completed her internship at Kansas City General Hospital in Kansas City, Kansas. She finished her advanced training in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Joyce chose to specialize in pediatrics, which means she became a doctor who cares for babies and children.

In 1936, Joyce Yerwood married Dr. Joseph Carwin. They moved to Stamford, Connecticut, to start their lives together.

Her Medical Career

In 1937, Dr. Yerwood opened her own medical office in Port Chester, New York. For 18 years, she helped many people who didn't have easy access to doctors. In 1955, she moved her office to Stamford, Connecticut. This made her the first African American woman doctor in all of Fairfield County. During her career, she helped deliver over 2,000 babies!

Dr. Yerwood stopped practicing medicine in 1981. Even in retirement, she continued to help her community. She became the Medical Director for a program in Stamford that helped people with health challenges.

Helping Her Community

Dr. Yerwood was a strong supporter of social justice. She worked hard to create learning and cultural chances for young African Americans in her community. In 1939, she started a performing arts group called the Little Negro Theater. As the group grew, she bought a building in Stamford. This building became the Stamford Negro Community Center in 1943. In 1975, the center moved to its current location and was renamed the Yerwood Center in her honor.

Dr. Yerwood was also a leader at the Union Baptist Church. With her husband, she helped start the Greenwich Chapter of the NAACP. The NAACP is an important organization that works for equal rights for all people. She was also a member of many other groups, including the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, which is a group for African American women. She also belonged to medical societies like the Stamford Medical Society and the National Medical Association.

Throughout her life, Dr. Yerwood received several awards for her amazing work. These included the Stamford Mayor’s Award and the Alpha Kappa Alpha Heritage Award. In 2016, she was honored by being added to the Connecticut Women's Hall of Fame.