Justina Ford was Denver's first licensed African American female doctor, but it took her nearly a lifetime of work to be recognized by her professional peers. Despite earning a medical degree from a college in Illinois and delivering more than 7,000 babies, she was not allowed to care for patients inside Denver hospitals. She treated patients insider her own home and made house visits around the city. The Martinez family remembers her caring for all seven siblings and their mother for a period of time.
Photos courtesy of Denver Public Library & the Martinez family.
Dr. Ford's house on the move! Dr. Ford holding a baby. The Martinez family were her patients.