Edith Mae (Irby) Jones (1927 - 2019)

Born 23 Dec 1927 in Mayflower, Faulkner, Arkansas, United States

Wife of James Beauregard Jones — married 16 Apr 1950 in Jefferson, Arkansas, United States

Died 15 Jul 2019 at age 91 in Houston, Harris, Texas, United States

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Biography

Edith (Irby) Jones is Notable.

Edith Mae Irby Jones is a truly notable figure due to her groundbreaking achievements as an African-American physician and her unwavering dedication to the civil rights movement. As the first black student to attend racially mixed classes in the American South and the first African-American graduate from a southern medical school, she shattered barriers and paved the way for future generations. Her commitment to providing healthcare to underserved communities, exemplified by founding a private practice in Houston's "third ward," and her involvement in various organizations advocating for social justice, demonstrate her remarkable compassion and activism. Edith Irby Jones's impact extended beyond her medical career, as she actively worked alongside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in the civil rights movement, contributing to the fight for equality and justice. Her legacy as a trailblazer and advocate continues to inspire and make her an enduring and notable figure in American history.

Edith Mae Irby Jones, was born on December 23, 1927, in Mayflower, Faulkner County, Arkansas.^[1][2] She was the daughter of Robert Irby Sr. and Mattie (Buice) Irby.^[1][2][3] Edith's father, a World War I veteran and sharecropper, tragically passed away when she was just eight years old after being kicked by a mule. Following her father's death, her mother relocated the family to Conway, Arkansas, where she worked as a domestic.^[1]

At a young age, Edith faced adversity when she became severely ill with rheumatic fever, causing her to miss a year of school and leaving her with a heart murmur. In 1934, her older sister Juanita and brother Robert contracted typhoid fever. The inadequate care her siblings received due to their family's poverty deeply impacted Edith, motivating her to become a doctor to provide better healthcare to those in need.^[1][2][3]

In the following years, the Irby family settled in Hot Springs, Garland County, Arkansas^[1][2][3][4], where Edith completed her education at Langston High School in 1944. She was granted a scholarship to attend Knoxville College, a historically Black private college in Knoxville, Tennessee. The scholarship was possible through the support of a teacher, members of the local community, and the Arkansas State Press, which ran a fundraising campaign for her tuition and living expenses. During her time at Knoxville College, Edith studied chemistry, biology, and physics, graduating magna cum laude in the spring of 1948. She also secretly collaborated with teams from the NAACP to recruit new members for the organization.^[1][2][3]

In 1948, Edith made history by becoming the first African-American student to be accepted into the University of Arkansas Medical School, breaking the barriers of segregation.^[1][2][3] Her enrollment in racially mixed classes made national headlines, making her a symbol of progress.^{[5][6][7][8][9][10]} In that same year, she married James Beauregard Jones, a World War II veteran and professor and administrator at Arkansas Agricultural, Mechanical, and Normal College AM&N (now University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff) in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. Edith adopted the combined surname Edith Irby Jones professionally, while continuing to use her maiden name. Throughout their marriage, Edith and James had three children.^[11][12][1]

In 1952, Edith achieved another groundbreaking accomplishment as the first African-American graduate from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, earning her Doctor of Medicine degree. She completed her residency at the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, where she became the second African-American physician in the internal medicine residency program. Due to Texas's segregation laws, she completed her residency at Freedman's Hospital at Howard University in Washington, D.C., as she was barred from working at Houston's Jefferson Davis Hospital.^[1][2][3]

After completing her medical training, Edith returned to Hot Springs, Arkansas, where she practiced medicine for six years. She then joined the staff of Ouachita General Hospital in Camden and a rural hospital in Alamo, Arkansas. In 1959, she and her family relocated to Houston, Harris County, Texas. Edith became the first black woman intern at Baylor College of Medicine Affiliated Hospitals, marking another significant milestone in her career. At that time, only two other Black women practiced as physicians in the city.^[1][2][3]

In 1962, Edith founded a private practice in Houston's "third ward," a part of the inner city, with the aim of providing healthcare access to underserved communities. In the same year, she was appointed chief of cardiology at St. Elizabeth's Hospital in Houston, and became associate chief of medicine at Riverside General Hospital. Her dedication to education led her to accept a post as Clinical Assistant Professor at Baylor College of Medicine in 1963. She continued her education by completing graduate courses at the West Virginia College of Medicine in 1965 and the Cook County Graduate School of Medicine in Chicago in 1966.^[1][2][3]

Throughout her career, Edith Jones was not only a remarkable physician, but also an advocate for civil rights. She actively participated in the civil rights movement, working alongside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. as part of the "Freedom Four" group. As the only physician and woman in the group, she delivered speeches in homes and churches, encouraging people to join the civil rights movement. Edith's dedication to social justice extended to her involvement with organizations such as Physicians for Human Rights, Planned Parenthood, and the Houston Independent School District. In 1974, she was a founding member of the Association of Black Cardiologists.^[1][2][3]

Edith Mae Irby Jones received numerous awards and honors throughout her career, recognizing her professional and volunteer contributions. She earned honorary doctorates from institutions such as Missouri Valley College, Mary Holmes College, Lindenwood College, and Knoxville College. Her impactful work was acknowledged with the Oscar E. Edwards Memorial Award for Volunteerism and Community Service from the American College of Physicians in 2001. She was inducted into the University of Arkansas College of Medicine Hall of Fame in 2004. Her commitment to serving others led to the dedication of the Dr. Edith Irby Jones Clinic in Vaudreuil, Haiti, and the Dr. Edith Irby Jones Emergency Clinic in Veracruz, Mexico, in her honor.^[1][2][3]

Edith Irby Jones passed away at the age of 91 on July 15, 2019, in Houston, Harris County, Texas.^{[1][2][3][13]} Her legacy is an inspirational figure in the medical field, a champion for civil rights, and a pioneer for racial integration in education and healthcare. She is buried in Greenwood Cemetery in Hot Springs, Garland County, Arkansas.^[1][14]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14} Kerr-Heraly, Lauran., Texas State Histocal Association, Published 22 Oct 2020, Updated 19 Mar 2021. "Jones, Edith Mae Irby (1927–2019)." Accessed 16 Jun 2023.
2. ↑ ^{2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11} The History Makers, The Digital Repository for the Black Experience, 10 Mar 2008, "DR. Edith Irby Jones Interview." Accessed 16 Jul 2023.
3. ↑ ^{3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10} Wikipedia Contributors. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 6 Feb 2023. "Edith Irby Jones." Accessed 16 Jul 2023.
4. ↑ 1940 United States Federal Census: Year: 1940; Census Place: Hot Springs, Garland, Arkansas; Roll: m-t0627-00137; Page: 24A; Enumeration District: 26-14 Ancestry Record 2442 #105275314
5. ↑ Newspaper Clipping, The Eugene Guard, Eugene, Oregon, 25 Aug 1948, Wed. - Page 8. "Negro Girl Will Enter South Medical School." Accessed 16 Jul 2023.
6. ↑ Newspaper Clipping, Star Tribune, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 24 Aug 1948, Tue. - Page 5. "Arkansas 'U' to Admit Negro Girl." Accessed 16 Jul 2023.
7. ↑ Newspaper Clipping, Press and Sun-Bulletin, Binghamton, New York, 24 Aug 1948, Tue. - Page 7. "Ark. Medical School Accepts Negro Without Segregation." Accessed 16 Jul 2023.
8. ↑ The Tampa Times, Tampa, Florida, 24 Aug 1948, Tue. - Page 12. "Negro Admitted To Arkansas U.." Accessed 16 Jul 2023.
9. ↑ Newspaper Clipping, The Akron Beacon Journal, Akron, Ohio, 24 Aug 1948, Tue. - Page 4. "Arkansas Admits Negro Student." Accessed 16 Jul 2023.
10. ↑ Newspaper Clipping, The Leaf-Chronicle, Clarksville, Tennessee, 24 Aug 1948, Page 7. "Negro Girl Admitted To Arkansas U.." Accessed 16 Jul 2023.
11. ↑ Arkansas, U.S., County Marriages Index, 1837-1957: Ancestry.com. Arkansas, U.S., County Marriages Index, 1837-1957 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. Original data: "Arkansas County Marriages, 1838–1957." Index. FamilySearch, Salt Lake City, Utah, 2009, 2011. "Arkansas County Marriages, 1838–1957," database, FamilySearch; from Arkansas Courts of Common Pleas and County Clerks. Digital images of originals housed at various county courthouses in the State of Arkansas. Marriage records. Ancestry Record 2548 #4144779
12. ↑ Arkansas, Marriage Certificates, 1917-1972: Arkansas Department of Vital Records; Little Rock, Arkansas; Marriage Certificates; Year: 1950; Film: #7 Ancestry Record 61775 #91102514
13. ↑ Newspaper Clipping, Albuquerque Journal, Albuquerque, New Mexico, 19 Jul 2019, Fri. - Page A8. "Edith Irby Jones, trailbazer for black doctors, dies." Accessed 16 Jul 2023.
14. ↑ Burial: Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/201361952/edith-mae-jones: accessed 16 July 2023), memorial page for Dr Edith Mae Irby Jones (23 Dec 1927–15 Jul 2019), Find A Grave: Memorial #201361952, citing Greenwood Cemetery, Hot Springs, Garland County, Arkansas, USA; Burial Details Unknown; Maintained by Amy Caddell (contributor 46939056).