Panel Discussion Honoring Joyce Clayton Thorpe Nichols at Library Fest 2025

The Museum of Durham History is proud to present a special panel discussion (FREE and open to the public) honoring the legacy of Joyce Clayton Thorpe Nichols (1940-2012), the first female Physician Assistant (PA) in the United States and a tireless advocate for fair housing, healthcare, and social justice. This fireside chat will take place at the Durham County Main Library as part of Library Fest 2025: North Carolina Edition.

The panel will be moderated by Mayme Webb Bledsoe, Assistant Vice President of Duke-Durham Neighborhood Partnership & Community Development and Chair of the Durham Housing Authority. Panelists will include members of Nichols’ family, who will share personal stories, reflections, and insights into her extraordinary life and impact.

Joyce Clayton Thorpe Nichols, known as “Joyce Ann” to loved ones and “Mama” to her community, never let obstacles stand in her way. A trailblazer in the 1960s fair housing movement, the first female PA in the 1970s, and a Durham Housing Authority Commissioner in the 1980s, Nichols dedicated her life to uplifting others.

The discussion will explore key moments in Nichols’ life, including:

– Fair Housing Advocacy: In 1965, Nichols challenged the Durham Housing Authority after facing an unjust eviction from McDougald Terrace. Her legal battle resulted in a landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling that strengthened tenant rights in federally funded housing.

– Breaking Barriers in Medicine: In 1970, after persistent attempts to gain admission, Nichols became the first woman to graduate from Duke University’s PA program, defying expectations and paving the way for future generations.

– Community Healthcare Leadership: Nichols played a pivotal role in establishing rural healthcare clinics in North Carolina and expanding healthcare access at Lincoln Community Health Center, where she served for 23 years.