By: Rachel NeumeyerBy: Rachel Neumeyer

77thth hour, Danko hour, Danko

The first African American Woman

Neurosurgeon in the U.S.

WhatWhat did she do?did she do?She was the first African She was the first African American woman American woman neurosurgeon in the United neurosurgeon in the United States. She changed the face States. She changed the face of neurosurgery by of neurosurgery by challenging the old school challenging the old school rules. She performed many rules. She performed many different surgeries like brain different surgeries like brain tumors, spinal surgeries, head tumors, spinal surgeries, head injuries, shunts, and injuries, shunts, and pregnancy complications.pregnancy complications.

*She was also a teacher at *She was also a teacher at Wayne StateWayne State

Table of Table of ContentsContents

Family/Background, 4-7Family/Background, 4-7Education, 8-10Education, 8-10Anecdotes/Interesting facts, 11-14Anecdotes/Interesting facts, 11-14Significant Contributions, 15-16Significant Contributions, 15-16Awards, 17-19Awards, 17-19Conclusion, 20Conclusion, 20Bibliography, 21-22Bibliography, 21-22

Family/BackgroundFamily/Background

• Was born November Was born November 7, 19507, 1950

• Grew up in Lansing, Grew up in Lansing, MichiganMichigan

• Dad: Clinton CanadyDad: Clinton Canady

• Mom: Elizabeth Mom: Elizabeth Hortense Golden Hortense Golden CanadyCanady

FamilyFamily

• Has three brothersHas three brothers

• Grew up with her Grew up with her mom, dad, mom, dad, grandma, and grandma, and siblingssiblings

• She grew up in an She grew up in an all white all white communitycommunity

Parents JobsParents Jobs• Mom was a College Mom was a College

Administrator, after Administrator, after children were born she children were born she became the president of became the president of Delta Sigma Theta, all Delta Sigma Theta, all black sorority.black sorority.

• Dad was a dentistDad was a dentist

• Grandmother was a Grandmother was a teacherteacher

Brothers and their jobsBrothers and their jobs

•Mark was a former Mark was a former Lansing councilmanLansing councilman

•Clinton was a police Clinton was a police officerofficer

•Alan was a minority Alan was a minority leaderleader

•Never got Never got straight A’sstraight A’s

•Was on Was on probation probation because she because she skipped skipped classesclasses

*U of M in 1971*U of M in 1971

*U of M Medical *U of M Medical School in 1975School in 1975

*U of Minnesota in *U of Minnesota in 1976-19811976-1981

*U of Pennsylvania *U of Pennsylvania

in 1981-1982in 1981-1982

• Internship at New Haven Internship at New Haven Hospital-Yale in 1974-Hospital-Yale in 1974-1975 and again in 1975-1975 and again in 1975-19761976

•74-75 made history74-75 made history

• She was the only She was the only black girl in her black girl in her elementary elementary schoolschool

• Her top health Her top health goal is to have goal is to have funfun

• Played football Played football really well.really well.

Interesting Stories of racismInteresting Stories of racism Teachers Teachers

practiced racism practiced racism by changing her by changing her grades.grades.

Students Students

practiced racism practiced racism by making fun by making fun of herof her

~Crime not an honor~Crime not an honor

~Got the job from~Got the job from

outside forcesoutside forces

~In 1983 there were~In 1983 there were

3,300 neurosurgeons,3,300 neurosurgeons,

less then 60 were blackless then 60 were black

an almost all were men.an almost all were men.

AnecdotesAnecdotes

~Youngest black female in ~Youngest black female in her specialtyher specialty

~Took a college math test in ~Took a college math test in high school and got an Ahigh school and got an A because she read so muchbecause she read so much

Significant ContributionsSignificant Contributions

~~Handles most of the Handles most of the difficult cases of brain difficult cases of brain tumors, spinal surgeries tumors, spinal surgeries and other life saving and other life saving procedures.procedures.

~Built the neurosurgery ~Built the neurosurgery program into a respected program into a respected serviceservice

Significant ContributionsSignificant Contributions

~Performs surgeries to end ~Performs surgeries to end recurring seizures, tumors in the recurring seizures, tumors in the brain or spine and shuntsbrain or spine and shunts

~Special research topics such as ~Special research topics such as head injuries, shunts, and head injuries, shunts, and pregnancy complicationspregnancy complications

AwardsAwards

*Alpha Omega Honorary Medical Society in 1975

*Fellowship in pediatrics award for neurosurgery in 1981-1982

*Teacher of the year award in 1984

AwardsAwards

*Candace Award in 1986*Candace Award in 1986

*Woman of the year award in *Woman of the year award in 19931993

*Golden Apple Award in 1997*Golden Apple Award in 1997

AwardsAwards

`Honored for the work as first `Honored for the work as first female African American female African American neurosurgeon in the united statesneurosurgeon in the united states

`Athena award`Athena award`American Medical Woman's `American Medical Woman's Association President’s Association President’s AwardAward

**Alexa Canady was not only a great Alexa Canady was not only a great doctor, but she was a great person. She doctor, but she was a great person. She cared a lot about others, especially her cared a lot about others, especially her patients. To get to where she is now patients. To get to where she is now she had many obstacles. But she was she had many obstacles. But she was strong and over came them. She has strong and over came them. She has done a lot for her community and her done a lot for her community and her experiences have made children want to experiences have made children want to be just like her.be just like her.

BibliographyBibliographyInternetInternet

**www.albion.edu/educate/art/aframsci.karen.htmwww.albion.edu/educate/art/aframsci.karen.htmMarch 6thMarch 6th>>www.detnow.com/fromtheheart/000711h.htmlwww.detnow.com/fromtheheart/000711h.htmlMarch 17thMarch 17th>>www.freep.com/womenhistory99/qneuro8.htmwww.freep.com/womenhistory99/qneuro8.htmMarch 6thMarch 6th>>www.detnews.com/specialreports/2002/www.detnews.com/specialreports/2002/

michiganians/canady/canady.htmmichiganians/canady/canady.htmMarch 6thMarch 6thBooksBooks*Notable Twentieth-Century Scientists, pg.303*Notable Twentieth-Century Scientists, pg.303*Who’s Who Among African Americans, pg.202-203*Who’s Who Among African Americans, pg.202-203

BibliographyBibliography

PicturesPictures

*clip art*clip art

*www.google.com*www.google.com

*www.yahoo.com*www.yahoo.com