Dr. Jane Cooke Wright
November 20, 1919 – February 19, 2013
Education: Harlem Hospital Cancer Research Center, New York University, New York Medical College, Smith College
Dr.Wright was a Pioneer of the development of Chemo-therapies. She also pioneered the use of the drug methotrexate to treat breast and skin cancer (Mycosis Fungoides)Dr. Wright is a Co-founder of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.
Dr. Jane Cooke Wright was born in New York City in 1919. She had one other sibling a sister. Her parents were Corrine (Cooke) a public school teacher and Dr. Louis Tompkins Wright. Her father was one of the first black graduates of Harvard Medical School. Her father was the first black doctor appointed with a staff position at a municipal hospital in New York City and in 1929 became the city’s first black police surgeon.
He also established the Cancer Research Center at Harlem Hospital. Dr. Jane C. Wright’s Papers, 1920-2006 are archived at the Smith College, Sophia Smith Collection. Honors and Legacy “Merit Award” from Mademoiselle Magazine 1952 for evaluating the efficacy of chemotherapy.Damon Runyon Award 1955″Spirit of Achievement Award”,, from Albert Einstein College of Medicine 1965.Hadassah Myrtle Wreath Award 1967Smith Medal from Smith College 1968American Association for Cancer Research Award 1975Otelia Cromwell Award from Smith College 1981Recognition’s Named Award: “Jane C. Wright, MD, Young Investigator Award, Created in 2011 by American Society of Clinical Oncology and the Conquer Cancer Foundation. Named Lecture: “Minorities in Cancer Research Jane Cooke Wright Lectureship”, from the American Association of Cancer Research, Given to an outstanding scientist who has made meritorious contributions to the field of cancer research and who has, through leadership or by example, furthered the advancement of minority investigators in cancer research.”The Mother of Chemotherapy”Wright is listed in the Women Pioneers of Medical Research.National Medical AssociationThe first woman physician to serve on the editorial board of the Journal of the National Medical Association. Human tissue culture developed the technique of using human tissue culture to test the effects of potential drugs on cancer cells.MethotrexatePioneered the use of methotrexate to treat breast cancer and skin cancer.ASCOWright is one of seven founders of ASCO.NCABWright served on the National Cancer Advisory Board from 1966-1970.African Research and Medical FoundationVice-president from 1973-1984Photographs and Prints Division, Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, The New York Public Library, Astor, Lenox, and Tilden Foundations