January 22, 1947
Dear Dr. Drew:
I have read with great interest your letter of January 13, which comes to me following my return from a trip to the East. I will refer your letter to Dr. George F. Lull, Secretary of the American Medical Association, so that it may be brought officially to the attention of the Board of Trustees.
You realize, of course, that Negro physicians may now attain membership in the American Medical Association but that, according to our by-laws, it is necessary that membership be secured through entrance into a county medical society. It has always been the province of every county medical society to determine its own membership. There is no other way in which membership in the American Medical Association can be secured by anyone. Many Negro physicians are now members.
As you are of course aware, representations have appeared before the House of Delegates of the American Medical Association. If a state medical society were to elect a Negro delegate, I am quite sure he would be received in the House of Delegates.
Sincerely yours,
Morris Fishbein