1883-1959

American Bacteriologist and Pathologist

William Augustus Hinton was an American bacteriologist and pathologist who made significant contributions to the areas of public health and medicine. Dr. Hinton overcame poverty and racial prejudice to become the foremost investigator of his time in the area of venereal disease, specifically syphilis. He developed a blood serum test called the Hinton test that accurately diagnosed the presence of syphilis. He is also noteworthy because he was the first black professor at Harvard University Medical School, and he authored the first medical textbook by a black American to be published, Syphilis and Its Treatment (1936).

William Hinton was born in Chicago, Illinois, on December 15, 1883. He was the son of former slaves who imparted a strong belief in the importance of equal opportunity for everyone. Hinton spent his younger years in Kansas and was the youngest student to ever graduate...