Dr. Minnie Joycelyn Elders was born in 1933 in Schaal, Arkansas.

In her youth, she worked as a Nurse’s Aid until she graduated from Philander Smith College with a bachelor's in Biology. She joined the U.S. Army in 1953, becoming a second Lieutenant. She then attended the University of Arkansas Medical School receiving her doctorate of medicine in Pediatrics and a Masters in Biochemistry.

She was the first African American to be appointed Surgeon General of the United States, from 1993 to 1994 in which she worked on reducing rates of teen pregnancy by ways of sexual education in schools, counseling, and birth control at clinics around the nation. She was asked to resign in 1994 by President Bill Clinton due to the fact that she publicly supported teaching youths about masturbation, which some deemed too controversial. However, she has no regrets. She continued working to increase sexual education in minority communities as well as advocating for the concerns of pregnant diabetic women.

She continues advocacy work today. Focusing on child immunization rates, screening for sexually transmitted infections, and medical care for elderly patients.

Thank you Dr. Elders, for being a public health hero!

This biography is based on publicly available information and was edited by Hugh Dunn and Adam Graczyk.