Georgia E. L. Patton Washington

Georgia E. Lee Patton Washington (April 16, 1864 – November 8, 1900) was an American missionary and physician. Following her education, she served as a medical missionary in Liberia. She was the first black woman to become a licensed surgeon and physician in Tennessee.

Early life Patton was born on April 15, 1864, into a family of slaves of the South of the United States. She had a twin sister who did not survive birth. Patton's father died before her birth. Although she was born in Grundy County, Tennessee, her mother decided to move to Coffee County in 1866.

Like the vast majority of slaves at the time, Patton's mother was sent away from her slave master who had grown rich from others toil, with nothing, forcing her to suffer from severe poverty.

Education and career Although Patton was able to attend school, by the age of 17, she had only received 26 months of schooling.

Medical missionary Patton was deeply attached to religion and was part of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Although she did not officially have the support of the church and had to bear the expenses of the trip, she decided to travel to Liberia as a medical missionary

After Patton arrived to Liberia on April 5, 1893, another African American missionary started to draw attention to the lack of professional health care in the country. Medicine such as quinine was already available, but there were no emergency doctors. During her time there, she identified anemia and dropsy as chronic ailments that mainly affected the Kru, the dominant ethnic group in Monrovia. and was often called "Gold Lady" due to her generosity.

In the last few years of her life, Patton worked sporadically due to her poor health. She died on November 8, 1900, in the city of Memphis, four months after giving birth to her second child, David W. Washington Jr, who died soon after his mother.

She is buried in Zion Christian Cemetery on South Parkway where an historic marker notes her accomplishments.