Conservative lawmakers are advancing state bans on diversity initiatives in response to the Supreme Court’s ban on affirmative action in higher education. Efforts to prohibit diversity initiatives in medicine are also being promoted, despite clear gaps between white and Black doctors. The lack of Black doctors contributes to racial disparities in healthcare, with only 5.7% of doctors being Black despite Black people making up 13.6% of the population. Historical data from the early 20th century show the impact of limited educational opportunities for Black doctors, contributing to ongoing racial disparities in the medical profession. Efforts to address these disparities are necessary to improve healthcare outcomes for Black Americans.
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Only 1.6% of US doctors were Black in 1906—the legacy of inequality in medical education has not yet been erased
