Rebecca Lee Crumpler, born as Rebecca Davis, was known as the first African American woman to receive a M.D. and become a physician. As a goal, Crumpler strived to "relieve the suffering of others," as she created one of the first African-American medical publications.

Crumpler first worked as an untrained nurse, but eventually attended the New England Female Medical College and practiced in Boston. After the Civil War, she moved to Virginia and joined the Freedman's Bureau, a federal agency charged with helping more than 4,000,000 slaves transitioning from bondage to freedom, where she cared for women, children, Indigenous people, and freed slaves.

Based on her service, her publication features womanhood, infant and child care, and childhood development.