How Dr. Gertrude Curtis Broke Barriers as New York’s First Black Female Dentist

January 9, 2025 ~ By Kandice Bell

Dr. Gertrude Curtis is an integral part of the history of dentistry as the first female Black dentist in New York who used her platform to serve the community through work with the NAACP and other rights organizations

Being a woman, better yet a Black woman, has not always been easy. Throughout American history, race- and gender-based limitations have been imposed on those in professional roles. But Dr. Gertrude Curtis, a native of Bradford, PA, defied those odds in the early 20th century, Jim Crow era, to become the first Black female dentist in New York. Some sources believe she was the first Black woman to practice dentistry on the East Coast.

Curtis was born on March 1, 1880, the daughter of Stephen and Agnes Elizabeth Curtis. Her father was a barber and entrepreneur. The Olean Times Herald reports that Curtis was an average grade school student, but she was no stranger to hard work and the challenges of building a career.

History of Dentistry and Black Doctors in the U.S.

Although it may have looked different, according to Delta Dental Insurance, dentistry has existed since the beginning of human civilization. However, it became increasingly advanced during the 1700s.

Based on a study by the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, in 1900, when 11.6 percent of the nation’s population was Black, only 1.3 percent of physicians were Black. Early on, African Americans had very little access to dental care, and more than likely finding care from a Black dentist was difficult or nonexistent.

Women began some practices in the 1800s, but there were not many in the early history of dentistry in the U.S. When Curtis graduated in 1909, some dental schools started admitting female students, but others refused to accept them. According to Delta Dental, there were only a few dozen female dental school graduates during this era. And take note that this statistic is for women in general, including white women—not just African American women.

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Dr. Gertrude Curtis’ accomplishment not only made history in New York but also gave hope to other Black women who desired to pursue higher education and professional careers. The Economic Policy Institute reports that Black women historically held low-wage domestic service and agriculture jobs. Think of a maid, fieldhand, or a caregiver.

Even after the Great Migration to the North in the 20th century, domestic work was still the primary category of employment for Black women. If you were lucky, you may have been able to work as a secretary as a Black woman. And if you could afford it, perhaps you could attend college to become a teacher.

Gertrude Curtis Becomes a Practicing Dentist

After completing her undergraduate education from Bradford College in Haverhill, MA, Curtis moved to New York City, where she attended the New York College of Dental and Oral Surgery, according to the Biographical Sketch of Dr. Gertrude Elizabeth Curtis.

Curtis earned her D.D.S. (Doctor of Dental Surgery) in 1909. She wrote her thesis on pyorrhea alveolus, a chronic periodontitis of the gums and tooth sockets characterized by the formation of pus and, usually, tooth loosening.

Dr. Gertrude Curtis’ thesis earned her a gold medal from New York College, making her the first woman to have ever received such a prestigious award. The Bradford Era, her hometown newspaper, recognized her accomplishment with an article and an accompanying photo.

An excerpt from the article reads, “She believes dentistry is one of the best professions for women and has encouraged other young Black women to take up the study,” according to the Olean Times Herald.

After graduation, Curtis started her entrepreneurial journey and opened a dental practice in Harlem, where she practiced for decades. In 1910, according to Traweek, Curtis became the first African American to be appointed Assistant Visiting Dentist at Bellevue Hospital in New York.

Curtis’ Activism Outside of Dentistry

Dr. Gertrude Curtis was not only an accomplished Black dentist but also an activist for the Black community as whole. She is often mentioned in newspapers such as The New York Age or The Pittsburgh Courier as a community activist. She served as a delegate to the 1918 Republican State Convention in Saratoga County, NY, and as a representative of the Roosevelt Colored Women’s Republican Club at the 1920 Republican National Convention in Chicago.

A member of the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People), Curtis also served in civic organizations that focused on expanding the rights of Black Americans. In 1932, she was elected president of the Business and Professional Women’s Club in Harlem. Curtis frequently used her professional expertise to speak on health topics. As president, Curtis oversaw a wide range of debates surrounding social and economic issues, including a discussion about how birth control would affect African American women.

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She also helped raise money for the Sojourner Truth Home for Wayward Girls, an organization that services homeless and at-risk women and their children. It has been noted that Gertrude Curtis often referred to herself as a “Race Woman.”

Life with Cecil Mack

Curtis married her first husband, Richard Cecil McPherson, also known as Cecil Mack, in 1912. Mack was a musician and songwriter who wrote “The Charleston” for the 1923 Broadway show “Runnin’ Wild.

As a child, Curtis also loved the arts and was considered a musical prodigy. She and her husband would often work together. She even accompanied Mack in 1923 during the European tour of “Runnin’ Wild.” Curtis was also the choir director for part of the European tour of Lew Leslie’s “Blackbirds” in 1930.

According to Britannica, Dr. Gertrude Curtis was also active with the Harlem Experimental Theatre, which featured talented Black theatre performers and playwrights who were barred from other performing arts organizations.

Cecil Mack died in 1944, and in 1948, Curtis and Ulysses “Slow Kid” Thompson married. The couple had a sting in Los Angeles between the late 1940s and early 1950s because of Thompson’s work. Curtis moved back to New York in the 1960s, with her husband returning later. The couple lived in Harlem until Curtis died on August 3, 1973.

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