Greene Vardiman Black Memorial

Greene Vardiman Black was born on August 3, 1836 near the town of Winchester in Scott County, Illinois. The son of a farmer and cabinet-maker, he was difficult as a child, refusing to attend school regularly and showing little interest in the operation of the family farm. Black did, however, demonstrate an interest in the natural world. He was fond of roaming the woods with his gun, fishing rod, and loyal canine companion, studying the flora and fauna of the area. This interest in the natural world may have inclined him to eventually enter the field of medicine.

At the age of seventeen, Black began studying medicine under his older brother Thomas, who at the time was practicing in Clayton. During the years he spent with his brother, he developed an interest in dentistry. In 1857, Black began studying under Dr. J.C. Spears, who was practicing in Mount Sterling. After a year with Spears, he opened his own dental practice in Winchester. 

The outbreak of the Civil War, however, briefly interrupted Black’s career in dentistry. In 1862, he volunteered to fight for his country, enlisting in the 129th Illinois and serving as a scout. During an engagement in either 1862 or 1863, Black suffered a ghastly wound. After spending six months recovering in a Louisville hospital, he received an honorable discharge. 

While the conflict continued to rage, Black returned to his native state and opened a dental practice in Jacksonville. There, he began researching, inventing, and writing. Throughout his career, Black made innumerable contributions to the field of dentistry. He wrote the first textbook on human dental anatomy, developed a system of dental nomenclature, and invented countless dental instruments. Black also proposed the principle of “extension for prevention,” experimented with different mixtures of dental amalgam, and pioneered the use of nitrous oxide as an anesthetic for dental procedures. 

In addition to researching, inventing, and writing, Black gave generously of his time to many professional organizations in the field throughout his career. He also helped to prepare the next generation of dentists. In 1868, Black joined the Illinois State Dental Society, serving as the organization’s president from 1870 to 1871. In the 1880s, he served as the first president of the Illinois State Board of Dental Examiners and chair in dental pathology at the Chicago College of Dental Surgery. In 1891, Black accepted an appointment as professor of dental pathology and bacteriology at Northwestern University’s dental school. Six years later, he became the school’s dean. He remained in the position until his death in 1915. 

Shortly after Black’s death, the National Dental Association decided to erect a memorial in his honor in Chicago and commissioned sculptor Frederick C. Hibbard to design it. Dedicated in the city’s Lincoln Park in 1918, the memorial consists of a bronze sculpture of Black on a limestone chair-like base. The sculpture depicts the father of modern dentistry sitting upright with a book propped up on his right thigh. In attendance at the unveiling ceremony were more than 1,500 members of the National Dental Association.

"Greene Vardiman Black." Galter Health Sciences Library & Learning Center. Feinberg School of Medicine. Northwestern University. 5 March 2020. Web. 9 March 2021 <https://galter.northwestern.edu/AboutUs/greene-vardiman-Black>.

"Greene Vardiman Black Memorial." Chicago Park District. City of Chicago. Web. 9 March 2021 <https://www.chicagoparkdistrict.com/parks-facilities/vardiman-greene-Black-memorial>.

Henderson, D. "Greene Vardiman Black (1836-1915), The Grand Old Man of Dentistry." Medical History 5, no. 2 (1961): 132-143.