WHAT’S IN A NAME: JAMES MCCUNE SMITH

James McCune Smith was born into slavery, educated in freedom, and empowered by Glasgow to fight for justice. The building’s name is not just a label; it’s a tribute to a man who defied oppression, made history as the first African American to earn a medical degree, and helped shape Glasgow’s abolitionist movement. This is not just his story – it’s part of ours.

Behind the name lies a remarkable but often overlooked figure whose influence stretched far beyond Glasgow. Born into slavery in 1813, James McCune Smith was emancipated in 1827 under New York’s Emancipation Act. He went on to study at the African Free School in Lower Manhattan, an institution dedicated to preparing formerly enslaved African Americans for leadership and civic life. There, he was part of a gifted cohort of future abolitionists, including Ira Aldridge and Henry Highland Garnett, whose mutual support helped shape his ambition and activism.

Despite Smith’s brilliance, American universities refused him admission because of his race. His supporters raised the funds to send him abroad, and the University of Glasgow, known for its abolitionist leanings, offered the opportunity he deserved. While the exact reasons for choosing Glasgow are unclear, the city’s vibrant anti-slavery movement, especially among students and faculty, likely played a key role. Here, Smith found an academic and social environment where his intellect and dignity were valued, a radical contrast to the racism he faced in the US.

Smith made a lasting impact during his time at the University of Glasgow. Between 1832 and 1837, he earned a Bachelor of Arts, a Master of Arts, and a medical degree. He was so advanced that he bypassed the typical entry year, enrolling directly into second year- a rare exception in European universities. His time at Glasgow was deeply transformative. Smith found an environment of rare respect and inclusion, later writing that he never experienced mistreatment because of his race.

This acceptance profoundly shaped both his academic success and his lifelong fight against racial injustice. Outside the classroom, Smith co-founded the Glasgow Emancipation Society (GES) with his friend John Murray, a fellow abolitionist who had witnessed slavery firsthand in St Kitts. As the only member who had experienced enslavement, Smith played a key role in the group, frequently speaking at meetings and remaining involved even after leaving Scotland. Smith also interned at the Lock Hospital for Women located in Glasgow city centre, a post reserved for the university’s most distinguished medical students. There, he became an advocate for marginalised patients and published his first research, exposing the dangers of using silver nitrate to treat gonorrhoea.

Despite his rigorous studies, he still found time to row, take long walks, and enjoy peaceful moments along the Clyde with his peers. Upon returning to New York, Smith was embraced by the Black community as a hero. He opened his own medical practice, treating both black and white patients, and established the first pharmacy run by an African American. His research challenged racial bias in medicine, criticising doctors for neglecting the health needs of Black Americans. Yet, when he attempted to present these findings to the New York Medical and Surgical Society, he was denied, told it would “disrupt the harmony” of the institution, a stark reminder of the racism still heavily prevalent in the US.

In Scotland, Smith had experienced personal freedom unrestrained by what he called the “aristocracy of the skin.” That sense of dignity, he later reflected, was the most valuable thing he gained from the University, beyond his degrees. Back in New York, he continued to serve his community, notably as the resident physician at the Coloured Orphan Asylum in Manhattan for 20 years.

James McCune Smith dedicated his life to improving the world for both Black and white communities, though his legacy was sadly obscured for many years. His children, for their own safety, were forced to pass as white, hiding their Black ancestry in a society that left them little choice. This silence persisted through generations, further erasing Smith’s extraordinary contributions. Yet Smith remains a towering figure in the history of medicine, education, and social justice.

Naming the building after him is not just symbolic, it is a small but powerful act of reparative justice, reclaiming space for a legacy that was unjustly buried. He never forgot the respect and opportunity he received during his time in Glasgow, and he spent the rest of his life extending that same dignity to others. So, the next time you walk into the JMS, take a moment to remember the man behind the name. You might even feel inspired to finally do that reading you’ve been avoiding.