ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Mildred Fay Jefferson

Mildred Fay Jefferson was a very special person who lived a long time ago. She was a doctor who helped people when they were sick or hurt. She was also very smart and she loved to learn new things.

Mildred was a special kind of doctor called a "surgeon," which meant that she could fix problems inside people's bodies. It was like she was a medical superhero! She used special tools to fix things like broken bones, and she even helped moms have babies.

But that's not all that makes Mildred special. She was also the first African American woman to become a doctor in the United States. That means that she worked really hard and did something that no one else had done before. It's kind of like being the first kid in your class to do something amazing, like reading a whole big book all by yourself.

Mildred also cared a lot about making sure that everyone had the same rights and opportunities, no matter what the color of their skin was. She believed that everyone should be treated fairly and with respect. She even spoke out against things that she thought were unfair, like laws that treated some people differently just because of their race.

Even though Mildred is no longer with us, her memory lives on as an inspiration to people of all ages, especially to young girls and people of color who want to work hard and make a difference in the world.