Abstract

In the last forty years, the literature on African women's history has expanded dramatically. Despite such improvement, more studies on female professionals and female property owners are needed, especially with regard to examining the role of women who enter and prosper in medical fields that are considered "masculine," such as medicine, dentistry, and pharmacy. By focusing on the life histories of women pharmacists, this article situates their careers within the overall history of formal education and biomedical health care in mid-to-late twentieth century Senegal. This article illustrates that not only have women acquired property through formal mechanisms but they have also consolidated power through professional leadership positions. The history of female pharmacists in Senegal is central to an understanding of the health sector, especially since, in Senegal, pharmacists are at the forefront of biomedical care.

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