7 Black men and women
who helped change the world at St. Jude

 
 
 
Dr. Jackson working in his lab at St. Jude

From the architect who intentionally designed the hospital without segregated areas to the doctors who helped launch groundbreaking treatments, Black men and women have been an integral part of St. Jude since its founding.

Here are just a few of the remarkable Black people who laid the groundwork for the lifesaving mission of St. Jude:

 
 

1.

Paul R. Williams, FAIA

The renowned African American architect Paul R. Williams designed the original hospital building of St. Jude. At the time, there were still segregated hospitals across the South. But Mr. Williams’ design broke down barriers and embodied the St. Jude commitment to being a hospital where patients of all races were treated together, and physicians benefited from greater collaboration by working together, no matter their race or ethnicity. 

 
Paul R. Williams with Danny Thomas, founder of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

Paul R. Williams with Danny Thomas, founder of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
 
 
Rev. Dr. Melvin Charles Smith

Rev. Dr. Melvin Charles Smith
 

2.

Rev. Dr. Melvin Charles Smith

Rev. Dr. Melvin Charles Smith started working at St. Jude in 1962 in the Virology and Immunology Department. He worked where the research began — in glassware sterilization in the lab. He continued his career by becoming a lab technologist and rose in the ranks to become senior technologist. 

 
 

3.

Maurice Walton Tate, RN

Having worked as a nurse for almost 20 years, Marice Walton Tate was the only Black nurse to walk into St. Jude on opening day. Along with her clinical efforts, Mrs. Tate undertook extensive fieldwork in the local Black community, doing house visits to patients to administer medication, dressing ulcers and drawing blood to take back to the lab. 

 
Maurice Walton Tate and her twin sister, Bernice Freeman, upon graduation from Collins Chapel Nursing School

Maurice Walton Tate and her twin sister, Bernice Freeman. Mrs. Tate would later become the first Black nurse at St. Jude.
 
 
Dr. Smith cares for a St. Jude patient in the 1960s

Dr. Smith cares for a St. Jude patient in the 1960s
 

4.

John Wesley Smith, MD

Dr. John Wesley Smith began his career at St. Jude in 1965 treating children in the hospital’s Solid Tumor clinic. He then began conducting research in the Virology and Infectious Diseases departments and helped publish numerous medical publications before becoming head of the hospital’s outpatient clinic. 

 
 

5.

Clara Mason, RN

As one of the first advanced practice nurses at St. Jude, Clara Mason contributed to clinical trials that helped save countless lives. She was the author or co-author of 20 papers published in medical journals. These papers offer a glimpse into her efforts to help boost the survival rates for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and other diseases. 

 
Clara Mason, RN with a St. Jude patient

Clara Mason, RN with a St. Jude patient
 
 
Dr. Jackson

Dr. Ruldoph Jackson, one of the first Black doctors at St. Jude, pictured working in his laboratory
 

6.

Rudolph Jackson, MD

Dr. Rudolph Jackson joined the staff in 1968 as one of the first Black doctors at  St. Jude. His work in the treatment of childhood cancer and solid tumors produced major advances in the battle against cancer and other life-threatening diseases.  Dr. Jackson played a crucial role in establishing the first sickle cell program, building it to such a stature that in the early 1970s, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) hired him to head the federal government’s efforts to fight the disease. 

 
 

7.

Lennie Lott, RN

Lennie Lott graduated from nursing school in the late 1960s and began her career at St. Jude.  For over 40 years, her work as a Black clinician and researcher significantly impacted malnutrition and HIV/AIDS programs, helping underserved communities and contributing to groundbreaking research. 

 
Paul R. Williams with Danny Thomas, founder of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

Lennie Lott, RN with a patient at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
 
 

The contributions of these pioneering Black men and women continue to inspire and guide the work being done at St. Jude today

 
 
Ruth Wang’ondu, MD, PhD

Ruth Wang’ondu, MD, PhD at work in her lab at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

 

Make an impact on the children of St. Jude 

By donating to St. Jude, you can continue this legacy of innovation and inclusivity.   

Your support will help fund critical research and treatment programs, ensuring every child receives the best care, regardless of race or ability to pay. 

Donate Now Explore Ways To Give

 
 

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