Historic Founders & Futurists
Changing the Face of Pharmacy
The first African American woman to graduate from our institution, Rosamond A. Guinn proved that progress is all about pushing the limitations that hold us back. Her feat was particularly impressive considering it happened five years before women were allowed to vote and nearly 50 years before the Civil Rights Act was signed into law.
Professional Success
After earning her PhG in 1915, Rosamond became the first African American woman to become a registered pharmacist in southeast Massachusetts. Ready to make her mark in the professional world, she returned to her home in New Bedford to work in the pharmacy business, joining her father (also a “druggist”) at Guinn and Co. at 396 Kempton Street. Rosamond was also one of the earliest African American women to be granted membership in the American Pharmaceutical Association.
Prior to graduating from Massachusetts College of Pharmacy, Rosamond joined eight other students and MCPHS librarian Ethel Health to form an organization to support women pharmacy students. The club would later become Lambda Kappa Sigma, the oldest professional fraternity for women in pharmacy.
The group that Rosamond helped found to support women pharmacy students continues to thrive today.
Historic Founders & Futurists
Meet some of the pioneering women and men who have made their mark on our institution—and on history.
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