‘Calm, brave and focused’ student stayed the course to become a first DELORES GORDON ALLEYNE SET her sights on becoming a doctor when she was in just the sixth grade – more than a decade before she became UofL’s first Black female medical student. Born in Pulaski, Tennessee, Alleyne moved with her family to Louisville in 1941. She graduated from Central High School in 1949 and earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from UofL in 1953. That same year, Alleyne became the first Black woman admitted to the UofL School of Medicine and was the first Black woman to graduate in medicine in 1957. “As part of the civil rights movement, my fellow students and I were inspired, knowing that we were making history and changing the nation,” she said. Although the university had Since I had lived all my life been integrated, under racial segregation, much of the I had learned to endure it city remained with equanimity and did segregated, but not feel denigrated or put Alleyne took the down by incidents that challenges in may have discouraged stride. others. “Since I had lived all my life under racial segregation, I had learned to endure it with equanimity and did not feel denigrated or put down by incidents that may have discouraged others,” Alleyne said. “I came to UofL to further my career goal and did not let anything distract me from that goal. It helps to be calm, brave and focused.” After graduating, Alleyne completed her internship at Los Angeles County General Hospital. She finished her residency at District of Columbia General Hospital in Washington, D.C., and taught there as a clinical instructor in pediatrics for Howard University. Alleyne even-tually returned to California and served as a pediatrician and chief pediatrician at the Watts Health Center in Los Angeles. She was a clinician and administrator with Los Angeles County Department of Health Services for 22 years. She retired from practice in 1999. Recently, Alleyne’s daughter, Valerie Alleyne Udeozor, produced a film, “How I Got Over,” about her mother’s life and experience at UofL to inspire young African Americans to enter careers in medicine. 52 UOFLMAGAZINE.COM