Donald T. Moore came to Durham in 1965, a snappy dresser and kind soul who delivered babies at three hospitals at a time when that was unusual.
Moore was African American; in Durham, he headed the staff at the old Lincoln Hospital – which served a predominantly African American clientele – but worked also at Watts Hospital, which was predominantly white. And he also worked at Duke Hospital, where he was the first African American Fellow in the School of Medicine. He trained many Duke residents, medical students and nurses. His role as a teacher left a lasting legacy; at Duke, an endowed lecture series bears his name to this day.
“He was a consummate educator; he was a master surgeon,” said Charles Harris, a former assistant professor with Duke Ob/Gyn. “He could take the most complicated case and finish it efficiently and quickly and in a safe manner, which was a significant upgrade for underprivileged Black women in Durham.”
Of course, Moore’s road as an African American doctor wasn’t smooth.
“He came and faced significant prejudice,” said W. Allen Addison, a professor emeritus with Duke Ob/Gyn, in a 2021 video. “He dealt with it gracefully and effectively. He was a true pioneer in making changes, not only in women’s health care, minority health care, but also in the Durham community and at Duke.”
Said Matthew Barber, another Duke Ob/Gyn: “His commitment to the African American women of Durham, and the engagement between Duke and community resources to provide care for these women … still continues today.”