Background
Janifer was born on March 13, 1886, in Virginia. After his mother died, his father, George Senior moved the family to Newark, New Jersey.
Janifer was born on March 13, 1886, in Virginia. After his mother died, his father, George Senior moved the family to Newark, New Jersey.
In 1906, Clarence graduated with honors from Newark High School. Afterwards, he attended Syracuse University in New New York He graduated from the Homeopathic Medical College of the State of New York in 1915.
Janifer passed the New Jersey board on his first attempt. Doctor Janifer practiced in Newark as a pediatrician. In 1917, Janifer volunteered for service in the army"s Medical Reserve Corps.
During World War I he was a medical officer, and was assigned to the Third Battalion, 372nd Infantry Regiment Medical Corps of the 93rd Division.
On December 13, 1918, he was awarded the Croix de Guerre for providing first hand relief to wounded and dying soldiers on the battlefield. Following the war, he worked for the Newark Health Department in various part-time positions.
Foreign much of his career, Janifer worked in an extremely poor, segregated slum known as, the "old Third Ward in the Hill District." After some time, he was put in charge of Newark"s "Well Baby Clinic for African Americans." In the mid 1920s, Janifer became a part of the surgical team at Philadelphia"s Mercy Hospital. Doctor Janifer published many articles in the National Medical Association Journal.
The information he shared corresponded to his experiences in the Well Baby"s Clinic.
His intention was to educate African American mothers and care givers on the importance of child hygiene and nutrition. He hoped this would combat high mortality of African American children. He was the second African American to be invited.
In 1948, Doctor Janifer was one of the 42 distinguished citizens honored in the Hall of Fame of the New Jersey Herald Times.
He went on to obtain two master"s degrees in public health. Doctor Janifer practiced medicine in Newark for 35 years.
March 13, 1886 – November 14, 1950) was a physician and the first African American member of the Medical Society of New Jersey. In 1916, he joined the National Medical Association, and he was the first African American member of the Medical Society of New Jersey. In 1946, he was asked to join the Newark City Hospital as a member of the pediatrics department.