Robert Tanner Freeman

Robert Tanner Freeman (1846—1873) was the first African-American to graduate from the Harvard School of Dental Medicine and may have been the first African-American awarded a dental degree in the United States.

Biography

Freeman was born in Washington, D.C., and was the son of former slaves from North Carolina. He attended classes at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine, and in 1869, he was the first African-American to graduate from the Harvard School of Dental Medicine and may be the first African-American awarded a dental degree in the United States.^[1]

References

1. "Robert Tanner Freeman". Harvard. Retrieved 2008-05-24. Robert Tanner Freeman (d. 1873) is particularly interesting. Dr. Freeman was born in Washington, D.C., and was the son of former slaves from North Carolina. After attending classes in the Harvard Medical School, he became, in 1869, the first African-American to graduate from the Harvard Dental School and is believed to be the first to be awarded a dental degree in the United States.