African American Medicine in Washington, D.C.: Healing the Capital During the Civil War Era

by Heather Butts, Hugh Florenz Butts (Foreword)

The true story of the black doctors and nurses who tended to Civil War soldiers in the capital.   Just as African Americans fought in defense of the Union during the Civil War, African American nurses, doctors, and surgeons worked to heal those soldiers. In the nation’s capital, these brave healthcare workers created a medical infrastructure for African Americans, by African Americans.   Preeminent surgeon Alexander T. Augusta fought discrimination, visited President Lincoln, testified before Congress, and aided the war effort. Washington’s Freedmen’s Hospital was formed to serve the District’s growing free African American population, eventually becoming the Howard University Medical Center. These physicians would form the National Medical Association, the largest and oldest organization representing African American doctors and patients. This book recounts the heroic lives and work of Washington’s African American medical community during the Civil War.

198 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 21, 2014

Reviews

[The Reading Pilgrim · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐ 4.5 / 5 stars

“Even in bondage and segregation, the image of God could not be erased — it healed, it built, and it endured.”

Thomas J. Ward Jr.’s African American Medicine in Washington, D.C.: Healing the Capital During the Civil War Era is a remarkable exploration of how Black physicians, nurses, and healers brought both medical skill and moral strength to a nation divided by slavery and war. Ward traces their courage and ingenuity through hospitals, the Freedmen’s Bureau, and the earliest institutions that trained African American medical professionals — all within a system that constantly devalued their humanity.

What struck me most was how deeply faith and perseverance shaped this story. Many of these men and women practiced medicine not merely as a profession, but as a calling to restore dignity to bodies and souls that had been broken by oppression. Their work echoes the biblical command in Micah 6:8 — “to do justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.”

From a Reformed perspective, this book highlights God’s providence working through human endurance. Even in unjust structures, the Lord raised up instruments of mercy — physicians, midwives, and nurses who reflected the compassion of Christ in tangible ways. It’s a reminder that common grace and gospel hope often meet in places of suffering, and that every act of healing, rightly understood, points back to the Great Physician.

Favorite aspect: The historical depth paired with a redemptive undertone — the story of medicine as both resistance and ministry.
Least favorite: The academic tone can be a bit dense at times, but the content is worth slowing down for.
Verdict: A powerful and necessary work that honors the faith, intellect, and endurance of Black healers who embodied mercy in a wounded nation.

[Alison · Rating 3 out of 5]

I recommend this book to anyone interested in learning about the bravery and service of African Americans serving in the Civil War as troops or as healthcare providers. However, the choppy organization, occasional errors, and quality of the writing keep my rating at 3 stars.

[Christina · Rating 2 out of 5]

There was a lot of statement repetition. A fact is stated, and then a paragraph later, I'm reading the exact same statement. A couple pages later, it is stated again. I did not feel that there was anything particularly groundbreaking found in these pages.

[Michelle Balog · Rating 2 out of 5]

Repetitive and poorly organized

The information is great, the writing is good, but the organization is lacking. The author also repeats herself often, making me feel like I was rereading pages.

[Karen Cowgill · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very good book!! More people should read this book!