Skip to content
  • Trustee Login
  • Associate Login
  • Trustee Login
  • Associate Login
  • Trustee Login
  • Associate Login
PA logo
DONATE

search

  • About The Society

    Who Are We

    Dedicated to the history and legacy of the physician assistant profession

    Collection Description

    Chronicles the development of various professional organizations

    Founding Members

    Individuals who joined us during our first year

    Mission, Vision & Values

    Learn about our mission, vision & values

    PA Veterans Garden

    Visit the McElligott PA Veterans Garden

    PAHx History & Projects

    Explore our history and projects

    News & Events

    See what’s new at PAHx
    X icon
  • Information & Links

    Initial State Recognition of Physician Assistants

    Find out when your state started recognizing the PA profession

    Our Associates

    View the Associates of the PA History Society

    Past Presidents of the National Organizations

    View our past presidents

    National Conference

    View the locations & dates for the National Conference

    PA Glossary

    Abbreviations, acronyms & titles associated with the physician assistant profession

    Preserving History

    Find several resources for preserving, documenting & archiving historical documents and materials

    Trivia

    Test your PA history knowledge

    Newsletter

    Read the most recent issue

    Helpful Links

    Find links and additional resources

    Search Options

    View our different search options

  • Illustrated History

    Archival Research

    Use finding aids for our collections

    Biographies

    Read our numerous biographies

    Collection & Exhibits

    Our collection features artwork, artifacts and exhibitions

    Oral Histories

    Listen or watch oral history interviews from PAs or those close to the profession's history

    Research Library & References

    Library collections, books and serials

    Videos

    Our moving image collection includes film and video

    Photos

    Slides, photographs, negatives & others

    Historical Perspectives

    Essays, personal narratives and long articles on aspects of PA history

    PA Timeline

    View important milestones and events

    International PA Timeline

    View international milestones and events

    Historical Highlights

    Orgs that are saving and preserving their history

    Celebrating 50

    PA programs that have celebrated their 50th anniversaries

  • Support The Society

    How To Support Us

    Help our staff work with organizations, institutions, researchers and archivists

    Friends of the Society

    View our friends and find out how to become one

    Our Associates

    Become an active partner

    First Class Photos

    First class photos of our Associates

    PA History Books

    Find out how to order your copy

    PA History Products

    Lapel pins, posters, and art prints

    Become an Active Participant

    Learn how to support us
    X icon
  • Contact

Date Published: February 1, 2022

Black History Month

X icon

To celebrate Black History Month, the PA History Society is proud to share on our website the stories of individuals who have not only helped shape the PA profession itself, but have also meaningfully impacted the healthcare of the communities they serve. Please watch, listen and read the inspiring oral histories, videos and biographies linked below. [Photograph to right: John Davis, Joyce Nichols and Percy Golson, 2006. Photograph Courtesy of Kenneth Harbert.]

Oral Histories:

Lovest Alexander – Graduate and professor of the Duke PA program. Has worked his entire PA career to diversify the PA profession (Video).

Jacqueline Barnett – PA educator and director of the Duke PA program (Video).

Kara Caruthers – She is the current President of the PAEA and has always been dedicated to diversifying the PA profession as an educator (Video).

Earl Echard – Founding member of the Minority Affairs Committee (Video).

John Davis – Founding member of the Minority Affairs Committee (Video).

Murl Dotson – One of the few PAs to practice in Mississippi before 2000 and who was instrumental in passing PA legislation in that state (Video).

Joyce Nichols – First female PA. She also helped get the MAC off the ground and was the its first chairperson (Audio).

Terry Scott – Director of the MEDEX Northwest PA program (Video).

Howard Straker – A PA educator that was able to combine his passion with advocacy with his chosen profession as a PA (Video).

Daytheon Sturges – Professor and diversity co-chair at the MEDEX Northwest program. He passionate about aiding underserved populations and diversifying the PA profession (Video).

Joseph Tate – A Vietnam veteran, Tate attended the Howard University PA program and was instrumental in getting California to recognize out-of-state PA degrees. He also helped other important PA practice legislation in California (Audio).

Carl Toney – PA Educator who was recognized in Big Doctoring in America – Profiles in Primary Care (2002) for his efforts of bring healthcare to underserved rural communities.

Steven Turnipseed – A graduate from the first MEDEX Northwest class and a founding member of the Minority Affairs Committee (Video).

Ed Williams – WWII veteran who helped spread the PA concept (Video).


Videos:

Karen Bass – The first PA to sit on the US House of Representatives

Joyce Nichols PAragon Awards

Joyce Nichols’s Rural Health Clinic [Photo to the right]

Peggy Valentine – Co-founder of Project Access

Biographies:

Lovest Alexander – PA educator and advocate for the diversity of the PA profession.

Karen Bass – First PA to be elected to US House of Representatives.

Stephanie Bowlin – Graduate of the Charles Drew PA program. Past Chair of the ARC-PA .

John Davis– Founding member of the Minority Affairs Committee.

Earl Echard – Founding member of the Minority Affairs Committee.

Prentiss Harrison – The first African American PA.

Trisha Harris – First African American President of the AAPA Student Academy.

Les Howard – PA educator and advocate for diversity in the PA profession.

Robin Hunter-Buskey – A PA in the US Public Health Service and the first African American Chair of the NCCPA.

Dawn Morton-Rias – First PA to serve as the CEO/Executive Officer of the NCCPA.

Joyce Nichols – She was the first female PA, co-founder of the Minority Affairs Committee, and the Minority Affairs Committee’s first Chair.

Howard Straker – A PA educator, advocate, and Past President of PAEA.

Joseph Tate – A Vietnam veteran and Howard University PA program graduate. Was instrumental in getting California to recognize out-of-state PA degrees.

Carl Toney  – PA Educator who was recognized in Big Doctoring in America – Profiles in Primary Care (2002) for his efforts of bring healthcare to underserved rural communities.

Janice Tramel  – PA Educator, founding member of the African Heritage Caucus, and the first African American PA to chair a state regulatory/licensing agency.

Henry Lee “Buddy” Treadwell – He was the prototype PA that inspired the creation of the PA profession! [Photo to the right]

Steven Turnipseed – Graduate from the first MEDEX class and also the first African American in the MEDEX Program. He was a founding member of the Minority Affairs Committee.

Peggy Valentine – She was the co-founder of Project Access.

Ed Williams – WWII veteran who graduated from the Howard PA program. He was an influential PA in the DC area and a founding member of the Minority Affairs Committee.

Robert Wooten – The first African American President of the AAPA.

Online Exhibits

From MAC to AHC: The History of the Minority Affairs Committee and the African Heritage Caucus by John Davis.

Profiles in Black – A booklet created by the African Heritage Caucus containing brief biographies of African-American PAs who have become or who are in the process of becoming leaders in the PA profession.

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Email
PA logo
Facebook-f Twitter Instagram

About Us

  • Who Are We
  • Collection Description
  • Founding Members
  • Our Mission, Vision & Values
  • PAHx History & Projects
  • Newsletter

Information

  • Initial State Recognition Of PAs
  • Past Presidents
  • National Conference
  • PA Glossary
  • Preserving History
  • Helpful Links

Support Us

  • How To Support Us
  • Friends Of The Society
  • Our Associates
  • PA History Books

Contact Us

(678) 417-8682

Contactus@pahx.org

12000 Findley Road Suite 100
Johns Creek, GA 30097-1409

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Cookie Notice
  • Collection Development Policy

© 2023 Physician Assistant History Society® All Rights Reserved