Aiken native Matilda Evans' legacy lives on many generations after she became the first Black licensed woman doctor in S.C.

Jun. 16—Being the first and the best was a mission for Dr. Matilda A. Evans.

Not only did she serve as an inspiration to the African American community through medicine, but she also played a role in Aiken's history.

"When we talk about Dr. Evans, we talk about an institution within herself because she did all at at time when holding pencil could get you killed," Evans' granddaughter, Beverly Aiken-Muhammad, said.

Not only was Evans a trailblazer for the Aiken community, but she also was an inspiration to Blacks in the community for her role as the first male or female Black doctor to be licensed in South Carolina.

Relatives of Evans not only want people to learn Black history, but also how Evans' role was part of South Carolina's and Aiken's history.

Aiken-Muhammad said it was rare for a woman like Evans to have opportunities like going to school to study medicine.

Aiken-Muhammad, who is the oldest granddaughter, has fond memories of her grandmother.

Evans was born May 13, 1869 in Charleston, and her family moved to Aiken a short time after her birth. She was raised in the Salley area and she died on Nov. 17, 1935.

Dr. Walter E. Curry is also a relative of Evans and the cousin of Aiken-Muhammad.

Evans was a graduate of Schofield School in Aiken, Oberlin College in Ohio and the Women's Medical College in Pennsylvania.

After getting her medical degree, Evans moved to Columbia to start two medical schools, with one of them being the Taylor Lane Hospital, which was the first Black hospital in Columbia. Her medical practice was in an area of Columbia known as the Black Wall in which the area was thriving with Black businesses.

Aiken-Muhammad said her grandmother paved the way for teaching sanitation practices in segregated schools and also trained Black male interns from Harvard University School.

Aiken-Muhammad said Martha Schofield, who founded the Martha Schofield High School, encouraged Evans to enroll in medical school.

Family history

Curry said Evans grandmother Edith Willis Corley was married to his 4th great uncle Harry Corley, who was the half brother of Curry's third great grandchildren Lavinia Corley Thompson.

Evans grandmother was Edith Corley, who was born free to Harry and Julia Willis in Chester, Pennsylvania in 1812. Edith Corley was kidnapped and was take to Charleston and was sold to Joshua Corley.

He owned an estate in Windsor and his family was known for treating the slaves with kindness and had religious sensibilities.

Edith Corley married Harry Corley, who was the daughter of John & Phyllis Corley.

The couple had two children, children George and Harrier Corley Evans, with Harriet being Evans mother. Evans grandmother taught her children and paid them to go to school and earned money to pay the teacher, while working her tasks as a slave, Curry said.

Curry said Edith Curry laid the foundation for Evans which inspired her to become a doctor.

Evans grandmother, father Anderson Evans, stepmother Marrie Evans and grandparents were members of Smyrna Missionary Baptist Church, with Edith Corley being one of the two oldest freed slaves who were members of Smyrna when it was founded in 1873.

Harriet Evans was one of the founders of Smyrna Missionary Baptist Church.

A doctor in the making

Even as a little girl, Evans knew she was going to be a doctor.

Curry said Evans' mother, Harriet Evans, and her grandmother, Edith Corley, instilled the importance of education.

"She was motivated and inspired by her family," Curry said.

Evans' mother died when she was 8 years old, but her mother made sure the next generation would be successful. Evans' mother left her uncle $160 so her daughter was able to continue her education.

"If she is educated she will be good and help to educate other children," Curry said.

Curry said Evans took those words to heart, which helped her become a successful doctor in her career.

As a child, Evans liked to play doctor and saw her grandmother use special herbs from the outside to heal members of the family. Curry said Evans would step on plants to make medicine and play doctor with the chickens.

"Dr. Evans playing doctor was her imagination, but it was really a vision to become a doctor," he said.

Her granddaughter said when Evans was growing up there weren't many women who were doctors, so she made it her mission to become a doctor.

"She never took no for an answer," Aiken-Muhammad said.

Aiken-Muhammad said her grandmother was important because of what she was able to accomplish as a Black woman in the South.

The legacy lives on

Since Evans' death, a street has been named in honor and a historical marker is erected near her home in Columbia.

She said if she lived in South Carolina she would make sure to tell other South Carolinians about Evans.

"I would like to make sure that her home state knows her, more of what they know if at all now," she said.

Curry said preserving her history and the advancement of the African American community.

"I see myself now as telling the story of Evans, not only in South Carolina and helping my cousin in the work she is doing with the family, but to make it more well known in Aiken County," Curry said.

Curry said he likes to talk about Evans' background because everyone started from somewhere and are inspired by their backgrounds. He said Evans was inspired by her family.

Curry said he hopes Evans' story will help to address the gaps in education and inequalities in health care and increase the number of African American physicians to serve the Black community.

"I am living out the principles of Dr. Evans," Curry said.