Patricia Era Bath (November 4, 1942 – May 30, 2019) was an American ophthalmologist, inventor, humanitarian, and academic.
She was an early pioneer of laser cataract surgery.
She also became first woman member of the Jules Stein Eye Institute, first woman to lead a post-graduate training program in ophthalmology, and first woman elected to the honorary staff of the UCLA Medical Center.
Bath was the first African-American person to serve as a resident in ophthalmology at New York University. She was also the first African-American woman to serve on staff as a surgeon at the UCLA Medical Center.
Bath was the first African-American woman doctor to receive a patent for a medical purpose. The holder of five patents, she also founded the non-profit American Institute for the Prevention of Blindness in Washington, D.C.
Bath was also recognized for her philanthropic work in the field of ophthalmology by President Barack Obama. In 2009, she was on stage with President Obama and was put on his commission for digital accessibility to blind children.
In April 2019, Bath testified in a hearing called the “Trailblazers and Lost Einsteins: Women Inventors and the Future of American Innovation” at the Senate Office Building in Washington D.C., where Bath had shown the gender disparities in the STEM field and lack of female inventors.
Bath died on May 30, 2019, at a University of California, San Francisco medical center from cancer-related complications, aged 76.
Check out the following links for further information
https://blackdoctor.org/dr-patricia-bath-blind-see/
https://blackinventor.com/patricia-bath/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patricia_Bath
What is Black History Month?
Black History Month is an annual observance originating in the United States, where it is also known as African-American History Month. It has received official recognition from governments in the United States and Canada, and more recently has been observed in Ireland, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. It began as a way of remembering important people and events in the history of the African diaspora. It is celebrated in February in the United States[5] and Canada,[6] while in Ireland, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom it is observed in October.
We at TNC feel that Black History is not just a month-long observance in February, but a continual look at African-American contributions to this country.
