![]() ![]() Vivien Thomas pioneered open heart surgery on children and his compassion, intelligence and bravery has saved countless lives. Though he got no credit for his procedure until he was much older, he became a respected technician, always eager to share and teach his knowledge. When presented with the challenge of how to treat “blue babies” he excelled. Even though he faced more discrimination and segregation there than in his home of Nashville, Tennessee, he thrived. When given the chance, Vivien moved his family to Baltimore, Maryland to assist Dr. He absorbed everything very quickly, but when he learned that his official job was “janitor” (and that he made less than his white counterparts) he refused to work until that changed. ![]() As a teenager, Vivien worked as a researcher at the all white Vanderbilt University for Dr. The needles are for an operation he invented but wouldn’t get credit for for twenty-six years, all because of the color of his skin. ![]() We meet Vivien as he’s examining the tiny needles he designed. In Tiny Stitches, Gwendolyn Hooks tells the story of the incredibly gifted Vivien Thomas. ![]() Though I was fortunate to grow up with a decent education on Black History, there’s always more to learn. Historical dramas like Hidden Figures have me thinking about all the stories of black excellence I don’t know about stories that we’ve yet to discover and celebrate. Image Credit: Lee & Low Books Inc., Gwendolyn Hooks/Colin Bootman ![]()
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