WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH SPOTLIGHT 2022
Dr. Jane Cooke Wright
Dr. Jane Cooke Wright was born in 1919 in Manhattan New York to Corrine Cooke, a
school teacher and Louis Wright one of the first African American graduates from Harvard
Medical School. Similar to her father, Dr. Wright attended medical school at New York Medical
College and did residencies at various hospitals -including Harlem Hospital where she was chief
resident. While enduring racism and sexism, Dr. Jane pursued in a profession that was
predominately white male oriented. In 1949 she joined her father at the Harlem Hospital
Research Center, which he found, where she did most of her groundbreaking research.
In the mid 20 th century Chemotherapy was essentially experimental, so it was only used
as a last resort for cancer patients. With a high degree of uncertainty, Dr. Jane, along with her
father focused their research on anti-cancer properties on human leukemia and other cancers. In
1951 with the drive to succeed by continuing her research, Dr. Jane’s groundbreaking work
established the capability of methotrexate (an anti-cancer medication) in treating breast cancer.
Additionally, this research laid the foundation for treating tumors with chemotherapy.
Determined to ensure that her research impacted clinical care, Dr Jane established a system
where her work along with others’ research could correlate clinical care. This system afforded
her the opportunity to become one of the founding members of the American Society of Clinical
Oncology. She was the only woman in the founding group. The mission of the ASCO is to set
standards for clinical oncology and to improve knowledge by making research readily available
and effortlessly dispersed.
Due to her high achievements and standards, Dr. Jane Wright was appointed Professor of
Surgery at New York Medical College in 1967. At the time of this prestigious appointment Dr.
Jane was the highest ranked African American Woman at a nationally recognized medical
institution. Today ASCO represents 40,000 Oncology professionals and is the largest
organization of its kind in the world.
Throughout her career, Dr. Wright held many high-ranking positions and received many
awards. She authored 135 scientific papers all while attending to her husband and raising two
daughters. She rarely appeared to be neglectful to her family. At the height of her career
Dr. Wright was once quoted as stating “My plans for the future are to continue seeking a cure for
cancer, to be a good mother to my children, and a good wife to my husband.”
Due to limited time and space, I’m constrained from sharing the many accomplishments
of this great woman; my prayer is that you make time to research Dr. Jane Cooke Wright M.D.
Submitted by First Lady, Evangelist Vallierie Lawson
