Hildrus Augustus "Gus" Poindexter (May 10, 1901 – April 21, 1987) was an American bacteriologist who studied the epidemiology of tropical diseases. Poindexter was the third son and sixth child of eleven children born from the legal Christian marital union of Fred Poindexter, born enslaved in Kentucky, and Luvenia Gilbert, born free in Virginia. (1,2) His father was a tenant farmer and along with his siblings, he grew up learning and tending to farming tasks.
He attended Lincoln University, graduating in 1924. A year later he attended Dartmouth Medical School[1] and then went on to Harvard Medical School[2] where earned his M.D. in 1929. He furthered his studies at Columbia University, where he received an A.M. in microbiology in 1930, and the Ph.D. in microbiology and immunology in 1932. The M.A. thesis was "An Academic Study of Entamoeba histolytica" and his Ph.D. thesis was "Observations on the Defense mechanism in Trypanosoma equiperdum and T. lewisi Infections in Guinea Pigs and Rats." He received an M.S.P.H. in public health and tropical medicine from Harvard in 1932. His thesis for this degree was "Consideration of Four Major Handicaps to Normal Growth and Development of the Rural Negro Child of Certain Southern States."
Career
Poindexter joined the Howard University Medical College at Howard University in 1931 as assistant professor of microbiology in the Department of Bacteriology, Preventive Medicine and Public Health.[3] In 1936, he was promoted to Professor and Chair of the Department. He entered the United States Army in 1943 and had a very distinguished career as an expert on Malaria and other tropical diseases. He left the army as a lieutenant colonel having earned a bronze star for his work in reducing malaria infections among the troops.[4] He continued his military service as a commissioned officer in the United States Public Health Service. In 1947, Senior Surgeon Poindexter was appointed posted to the Mission to Liberia as chief of laboratory and medical research in West Africa. The goal of the mission was to help the Liberian government in sanitation planning and the control of infectious diseases. He became director in 1948.[citation needed] In 1953 Dr. Poindexter was transferred to Indochina.[5] He went on to serve in various other countries including Vietnam, Suriname, Iraq, Libya, and Sierra Leone before returning to the faculty of Howard University.[6] During his tenure at Howard, Pondexter mentored a number of notable younger scientists, such as Jane Hinton, the co-developer of the Mueller-Hinton agar, and Ruth Ella Moore.[7] Poindexter published his autobiography, My World Of Reality, in 1973 in which he candidly discusses his various life experiences including dealings with racial prejudice.[8] One example is the offer of membership by the American Society of Parasitologists, withdrawn when the society learned that Poindexter was Black.[7]
During his military career, the Bronze Star was awarded in 1944 and he was the recipient of 4 major Combat Stars. [12] In 1962, Poindexter became the first known Black scientist to become board-certified in microbiology by the American Board of Medical Microbiology and was the 141st person to pass the certification exam.[7] This certification conferred him the honor of Diplomate of the ABMM.[13] Poindexter received 4 honorary Doctor of Science degrees from the following academic institutions: Lincoln University (1946), Dartmouth College (1956), Howard University (1971) and the University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria (1982).
References
^"Hildrus Augustus Poindexter". African Americans @ Dartmouth College 1775-1950. Black Alumni of Dartmouth Association.
^"Ex-Medical Director of PHS Dr. Hildrus Poindexter Dies". Washington Post.
^James H. Kessler (1996). Distinguished African American Scientists of the 20th Century. Greenwood Publishing Group.
^Walter White (1995). A Man Called White: The Autobiography of Walter White. University of Georgia Press.
^African American Lives, edited by Henry Louis Gates, Evelyn Brooks Higginbotham. Oxford University Press, USA, 2004. ISBN9780199882861
^ abcCulbreath, Karissa (2021-02-18). "The Black Clinical Microbiologists on Whose Shoulders We Stand". American Society for Microbiology. Retrieved 2021-02-18.
^Ahmed, Mahaa (5 January 2021). "Dr. Hildrus Poindexter". Retrieved 25 February 2022.
^"Black Caucus of Health Workers: Awards". blackcaucus1968.blogspot.ie. Retrieved 2016-07-15.
^Johnson-Thompson, M. C. and Jay, J.M. (1997). "Ethnic Diversity in ASM: the Early History of American-American Microbiologists". Microbe. 63 (2): 77.
^Cobb, W. M. (1973). "Hildrus Augustus Poindexter, M.D., M.P.H., Ph.D., D.Sc., 1901-". J Natl Med Assoc. 65 (3): 243–7. PMC2609010. PMID 4573853.
^"American Board of Medical Microbiology (ABMM)". ASM.org. Retrieved 2022-12-02.
Further reading
Kessler, J., Kidd, J. Kidd R. & Morin, K. (1996). Distinguished African American Scientists of the 20th Century. Phoenix, AZ: Oryx Press. pp. 275–280.
January 07, 2023
hildrus, poindexter, hildrus, augustus, poindexter, 1901, april, 1987, american, bacteriologist, studied, epidemiology, tropical, diseases, poindexter, third, sixth, child, eleven, children, born, from, legal, christian, marital, union, fred, poindexter, born,. Hildrus Augustus Gus Poindexter May 10 1901 April 21 1987 was an American bacteriologist who studied the epidemiology of tropical diseases Poindexter was the third son and sixth child of eleven children born from the legal Christian marital union of Fred Poindexter born enslaved in Kentucky and Luvenia Gilbert born free in Virginia 1 2 His father was a tenant farmer and along with his siblings he grew up learning and tending to farming tasks Hildrus Augustus PoindexterBornHildrus Augustus PoindexterMay 10 1901 1901 05 10 Memphis TennesseeDiedApril 21 1987 1987 04 22 aged 85 Clinton MarylandEducationLincoln University 1924 Dartmouth Medical SchoolHarvard Medical School M D 1929 Columbia University A M 1930 Ph D 1932 M P H 1937 Scientific careerFieldsTropical diseasesBacteriology Contents 1 Education 2 Career 3 Memberships 4 Awards and honors 5 References 6 Further readingEducation EditHe attended Lincoln University graduating in 1924 A year later he attended Dartmouth Medical School 1 and then went on to Harvard Medical School 2 where earned his M D in 1929 He furthered his studies at Columbia University where he received an A M in microbiology in 1930 and the Ph D in microbiology and immunology in 1932 The M A thesis was An Academic Study of Entamoeba histolytica and his Ph D thesis was Observations on the Defense mechanism in Trypanosoma equiperdum and T lewisi Infections in Guinea Pigs and Rats He received an M S P H in public health and tropical medicine from Harvard in 1932 His thesis for this degree was Consideration of Four Major Handicaps to Normal Growth and Development of the Rural Negro Child of Certain Southern States Career EditPoindexter joined the Howard University Medical College at Howard University in 1931 as assistant professor of microbiology in the Department of Bacteriology Preventive Medicine and Public Health 3 In 1936 he was promoted to Professor and Chair of the Department He entered the United States Army in 1943 and had a very distinguished career as an expert on Malaria and other tropical diseases He left the army as a lieutenant colonel having earned a bronze star for his work in reducing malaria infections among the troops 4 He continued his military service as a commissioned officer in the United States Public Health Service In 1947 Senior Surgeon Poindexter was appointed posted to the Mission to Liberia as chief of laboratory and medical research in West Africa The goal of the mission was to help the Liberian government in sanitation planning and the control of infectious diseases He became director in 1948 citation needed In 1953 Dr Poindexter was transferred to Indochina 5 He went on to serve in various other countries including Vietnam Suriname Iraq Libya and Sierra Leone before returning to the faculty of Howard University 6 During his tenure at Howard Pondexter mentored a number of notable younger scientists such as Jane Hinton the co developer of the Mueller Hinton agar and Ruth Ella Moore 7 Poindexter published his autobiography My World Of Reality in 1973 in which he candidly discusses his various life experiences including dealings with racial prejudice 8 One example is the offer of membership by the American Society of Parasitologists withdrawn when the society learned that Poindexter was Black 7 Memberships EditHe was a Prince Hall Mason 9 a member of the American Society of Microbiology 10 and a member of Omega Psi Phi fraternity 11 Awards and honors EditDuring his military career the Bronze Star was awarded in 1944 and he was the recipient of 4 major Combat Stars 12 In 1962 Poindexter became the first known Black scientist to become board certified in microbiology by the American Board of Medical Microbiology and was the 141st person to pass the certification exam 7 This certification conferred him the honor of Diplomate of the ABMM 13 Poindexter received 4 honorary Doctor of Science degrees from the following academic institutions Lincoln University 1946 Dartmouth College 1956 Howard University 1971 and the University of Port Harcourt Nigeria 1982 References Edit Hildrus Augustus Poindexter African Americans Dartmouth College 1775 1950 Black Alumni of Dartmouth Association Ex Medical Director of PHS Dr Hildrus Poindexter Dies Washington Post Cobb WM 1973 Hildrus Augustus Poindexter M D M P H Ph D D Sc 1901 J Natl Med Assoc 65 3 243 7 PMC 2609010 PMID 4573853 James H Kessler 1996 Distinguished African American Scientists of the 20th Century Greenwood Publishing Group Walter White 1995 A Man Called White The Autobiography of Walter White University of Georgia Press African American Lives edited by Henry Louis Gates Evelyn Brooks Higginbotham Oxford University Press USA 2004 ISBN 9780199882861 a b c Culbreath Karissa 2021 02 18 The Black Clinical Microbiologists on Whose Shoulders We Stand American Society for Microbiology Retrieved 2021 02 18 Ahmed Mahaa 5 January 2021 Dr Hildrus Poindexter Retrieved 25 February 2022 Black Caucus of Health Workers Awards blackcaucus1968 blogspot ie Retrieved 2016 07 15 Johnson Thompson M C and Jay J M 1997 Ethnic Diversity in ASM the Early History of American American Microbiologists Microbe 63 2 77 Famous Brothers pg4 Lambda Gamma Gamma Chapter Omega Psi Phi Fraternity www ques lgg org Retrieved 2016 07 15 Cobb W M 1973 Hildrus Augustus Poindexter M D M P H Ph D D Sc 1901 J Natl Med Assoc 65 3 243 7 PMC 2609010 PMID 4573853 American Board of Medical Microbiology ABMM ASM org Retrieved 2022 12 02 Further reading EditKessler J Kidd J Kidd R amp Morin K 1996 Distinguished African American Scientists of the 20th Century Phoenix AZ Oryx Press pp 275 280 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Hildrus Poindexter amp oldid 1129865862, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
