Midian Othello Bousfield

Midian Othello Bousfield (August 22, 1885 – February 16, 1948) was an African American physician. His work often focused on public health and expanding care for Black patients. Bousfield set up the first all-Black United States Army hospital at Fort Huachuca.

Biography Bousfield was born in Tipton, Missouri, on August 22, 1885. He was raised in Kansas City, Missouri. Early on, he worked as a barber, like his father. After he earned his medical degree, he worked as an intern at the Freedman's hospital in Washington. During his time in Brazil, he looked for business opportunities, but these did not work out as expected and he returned to Kansas City in 1912. In 1914, he and the family moved to Chicago. In 1929, the company merged to become Supreme Liberty Life and Bousfield continued his involvement with them throughout his life.

Bousfield's work in the 1930s moved towards public health. He was a medical consultant to the United States Children's Bureau and the Chicago Board of Health. He set up infant paralysis units at both Tuskegee Institute and at the Provident Hospital. Bousfield was the director of the Negro Health Program of the Julius Rosenwald Fund and in this capacity, helped many Black medical professionals earn their degrees. At the fund, he was also involved with influencing public opinion on health issues facing Black Americans. During that year, he was the first Black speaker at the annual meeting of the American Public Health Association. At this speech, "In no uncertain terms he charged that health officials in the North and South paid little attention to the health of blacks." In 1936, Bousfield became the president of the Chicago Urban League. This was the first all-Black Army hospital and was large, well-equipped and had over 100 beds.