Exhibit opening and lecture with Dr. Ezelle Sanford, III

It started with an administrative error, leading administrators to quietly declare Washington University School of Medicine desegregated in 1947— but efforts for truly active integration across the school and its associated hospitals would come decades later, through intentional action and advocacy from many dedicated individuals and groups.

Drawing on oral histories, photographs, architectural plans and other documents, our first exhibit of 2023, “In their own words: Stories of desegregation at Washington University Medical Center,” will feature stories from doctors, nurses, students and administrators who experienced segregation and advocated for change.