Doctor Charles Greene paved the way for doctor Ben Carson and other black neurosurgeons when he became the first African-American certified surgeon by the american board of neurological surgery. Today is doctor Greene’s birthday.
Charles Sumner Greene was born in Washington, D.C. in 1901. Entering dental school and graduating from the University of Pennsylvania, his true passion would later be realized. After some time, he entered Howard University medical school and completed part of his surgery residency under his Dunbar high school classmate, doctor Charles Drew.
After studying neurosurgery in Canada, doctor Greene became board-certified in October 1953. He was also the first chair of Howard University’s division of neurology, a newly-created department at the time and performed several successful surgeries.
Doctor Greene’s passing in 1957 at the age of fifty-six shocked many as he was a star athlete in high school and remained physically fit.
Doctor Greene’s son, doctor Charles Greene junior, became a successful pediatric neurosurgeon.
