Dr. Julia Henderson Richmond was an American public health administrator and physician who served as the first ever U.S. assistant secretary for health, and later held the position of surgeon general of the United States Public Health Service.
As assistant secretary of health from 1977 to 1981, she was the highest ranking woman in the United States Department of Health, Education, and Welfare (HEW). In that role, she supervised several agencies including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
She was the second woman to serve as surgeon general of the United States from 1981 to 1989, after Dr. Antonia Novello, and was the first African-American woman to serve as surgeon general. She was also the first former assistant secretary of health to serve as surgeon general.
In her time as surgeon general she advocated for tobacco control, childhood immunizations, and access to healthcare for vulnerable populations. She also focused on the health care needs of women, children, and minorities, and on international health issues such as the global fight against AIDS.
She was awarded numerous honors and awards for her work, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the United States.
The Julia Richmond High School in New York City is named after her in recognition of her contributions to public health and her legacy of service. The school is located in the Stapleton neighborhood of Staten Island and serves students in grades 9-12.