On November 7, 1876, Meharry Medical College was founded as the medical department of Central Tennessee College in Nashville, Tennessee. It became the first medical school in the South for African Americans and remains one of the nation’s leading historically Black medical institutions.

Key Facts About Meharry Medical College:

• Founded by the Meharry brothers, a group of white philanthropists who had been inspired by a formerly enslaved man they had helped years earlier.
• Initially created to train Black physicians, it has expanded to include dentistry, research, and public health programs.
• Continues to be a major institution dedicated to addressing racial disparities in healthcare and increasing the number of Black healthcare professionals.

Meharry Medical College has played a pivotal role in advancing medical education and healthcare access for African Americans, leaving a lasting legacy in medicine and public health.