Dr. Angella Ferguson: Pioneer in Sickle Cell Care

Angella Dorothea Ferguson was a pioneering American pediatrician whose career combined careful clinical observation with sustained research into sickle cell disease. Trained at Howard University College of Medicine, she worked at Freedmen's Hospital and on the faculty at Howard, where she noted early that many infants in her practice showed signs of the disorder and required new diagnostic approaches.

During the 1950s and 1960s she published studies that described clinical patterns in children with sickle cell disease, and she helped to develop a blood test that could detect sickle cell disease in newborns. Her papers were co-authored with other Howard clinicians and they influenced later reviews of pediatric sickle cell care. Because the test enabled earlier diagnosis, pediatricians could begin preventive care and vaccinations sooner, which reduced serious complications in young patients. Had newborn screening arrived later, many children would have gone undiagnosed for months or years.

Ferguson also took on administrative responsibilities; she oversaw construction and renovation projects for a pediatrics unit at Freedmen's Hospital and helped start hospital programs to support families affected by the disease. She worked with colleagues, such as Roland B. Scott, to form local research and support groups, and she advised clinicians on practical care guidelines that were used widely.

Her work has been cited in medical literature and has shaped newborn screening practices; nevertheless, she remained a clinician who visited patients and taught trainees. She retired in 1990, and she died on January 6, 2026, at age 100. She was a member of professional societies and she received honors for her work.