On May 9, 1750, The South Carolina Gazette reported that an enslaved African man named Caesar, known for his expertise in herbal medicine, was granted freedom and a lifetime pension by the colonial government. Caesar had developed antidotes for poison, rattlesnake bites, and yaws—an infectious tropical disease. His remedies were so effective that South Carolina’s government published his formulas for public health use. In return, Caesar was not only emancipated but also given an annual financial stipend.
He is recognized alongside James Derham of New Orleans as one of the earliest documented African American medical practitioners in U.S. history. Caesar’s contributions highlight the overlooked medical knowledge of enslaved Africans and the role they played in early American health care.