Celebrating Black History Month: Thomas Elkins, African-American inventor

Thomas Elkins, born in 1818, was a dentist, surgeon, pharmacist and inventor.  He received an education in pharmacy and ran a small drugstore until economic difficulties forced him to close.  He focused on dentistry and minor surgery.  He studied dentistry under Dr. Charles Payne, and surgery under Dr. Marsh.  

He participated in the Underground Railroad, helping slaves escape to Canada.  The house where he and his wife operated the "best-run" Underground Railroad station in New York is now owned by the Underground Railroad History Project of the Capital Region, Inc.

During the Civil War, Governor John Andrew of Massachusetts appointed him to be the medical examiner in the 54th and 55th Massachusetts Infantries. He improved the refrigerating apparatus, which prevented the decay of human corpses and food.  

He patented an chamber-commode, a predecessor to the toilet.  

Elkins died in August 1900.

Celebrating Black History Month: John S. Rock, first African-American lawyer to practice in US Supreme Court

John Stewart Rock, born October 13, 1825 Salem, New Jersey, was a teacher, doctor, dentist, lawyer, and abolitionist.  His parents were free African-Americans and they encouraged him to study and provided him with formal schooling.  At 19, he became a teacher in Salem, teaching in a one-room school.  During this time, he began studying medicine under two white physicians, but was denied entry into medical school based on his race.

He transferred to dentistry and did an apprenticeship with a white dentist.  Rock opened  his dental practice in Philadelphia in January 1850. He was finally admitted to medical school, and graduated from American Medical College in Philadelphia in 1852, becoming one of the first African-Americans to attain a degree in medicine.  

He moved to Boston in 1853 and opened his dentist and medical practice, treating many fugitive slaves making their was to Canada via the Underground Railroad.  After a trip to Europe to seek treatment for health problems, he gave up his medical and dental practices and began to study law.  In September 1861, Rock gained admittance to the Massachusetts Bar where he advocated for the rights for African-Americans. 

On February 1, 1865, the day after Congress approved the Thirteenth Amendment to end slavery, Charles Sumner introduced a motion that made Rock the first black attorney to be admitted to the bar of the US Supreme Court.  He became the first African-American to be received on the floor of the US House of Representatives.

Rock passed away in December 1866 from tuberculosis at the age of 41.