Meet STEM Pioneer Dr. Daniel Hale Williams, Heart Surgeon

Dr. Daniel Hale Williams founded the first hospital run by African Americans in the U.S.

Dr. Daniel Hale Williams (1856–1931) was a groundbreaking African American surgeon who performed one of the first successful open-heart surgeries in 1893—without modern tools like X-rays, antibiotics, or anesthesia!

Born in 1856, Dr. Williams grew up in a time when Black doctors faced huge barriers in education and employment. Even so, he became one of the first African Americans to be a surgeon in the United States.

Dr. Williams saw that Black patients were often denied care, so in 1891, he founded Provident Hospital, the first Black-owned and operated hospital in the U.S.

He trained Black doctors and nurses, creating opportunities that didn’t exist before.

Dr. Williams’ courage and innovation paved the way for modern heart surgery. He fought for equal medical care for all races, and his legacy inspires today’s Black doctors, surgeons, and healthcare professionals.

To learn more about Dr. Daniel Hale Williams, check out

Daniel Hale Williams: Facts for Kids

Emma Reynolds, a graduate of Provident Hospital eventually worked in New Orleans! Read more about her and her training!

Provident Hospital: The First Black Hospital in the U.S.

And! The answer to the STEM Math Challenge:

🔢 Take the STEM Math Challenge:
Dr. Williams' famous heart surgery happened in 1893. If it’s 2025 now, how many years ago did he make history?

(A) 120 years
(B) 132 years
(C) 142 years
(D) 150 years

✅ Answer: (C) 132 years!