LaSalle D. Leffall Jr. (Mayâ¯22,â¯1930â¯âÂÂâ¯Mayâ¯25,â¯2019) was an American surgeon, surgical oncologist, and medical educator. He chaired the Department of Surgery at Howard University College of Medicine from 1970 to 1995 and served as the Charles R. Drew Professor of Surgery. In 1978, Leffall became the first African American president of the American Cancer Society, and in 1995, he became the first African American president of the American College of Surgeons.
LaSalle Doheny Leffall Jr. was born on May 22, 1930, in Tallahassee, Florida, and raised in nearby Quincy, Florida, during the era of segregation. His parents, LaSalle D. Leffall Sr. and Lula Jourdan Leffall, were both educators and emphasized the value of academic excellence and perseverance despite racial barriers. His father was a professor of agriculture at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical College (FAMU), and his mother was also a teacher.
Leffall graduated from Dr. Wallace S. Stevens High School in 1945 at age 15, and earned a B.S. degree in biology, summa cum laude, from Florida A&M University in 1948. He received his M.D. from the Howard University College of Medicine in 1952. Initially rejected from admission, Leffall was accepted after FAMU President William H. Gray personally intervened on his behalf. He graduated first in his class. His mentors included Charles R. Drew, Burke Syphax, W. Montague Cobb, and Jack E. White.
He completed his internship at Homer G. Phillips Hospital in St. Louis, followed by surgical training as an assistant resident in surgery at Freedmen's Hospital (1953âÂÂ1954), assistant resident at D.C. General Hospital (1954âÂÂ1955), and chief resident at FreedmenâÂÂs (1956âÂÂ1957). Leffall then became one of the first Black fellows in surgical oncology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, where he trained from 1957 to 1959 under the mentorship of Dr. Jack E. White.
While attending Howard, he met Ruth McWilliams, who was struck by his polite demeanor, intelligence, kindness toward others, and strong dedication to his studies. They married in 1956 and later had a son, LaSalle âÂÂDonneyâ Leffall III.
In 1960, Leffall entered the United States Army Medical Corps with the rank of Captain, M.C.. He was stationed at Ft. Sam Houston in Texas before being assigned as chief of general surgery at the U.S. Army Hospital in Munich, Germany. He completed two years of active duty and was later honorably discharged with the rank of Major.
During his Army service, Leffall encountered racial segregation despite holding an officerâÂÂs commission. He recalled that, while stationed at Ft. Sam Houston in Texas, he and three White colleagues went to a local movie theater. Although his White colleagues were allowed to enter, Leffall was denied admission solely because of his race. In a show of solidarity, his colleagues chose to leave with him. Leffall later described the incident as one of the most painful experiences of his life, underscoring the irony of facing racial discrimination at home while preparing to serve his country abroad.
Below are the official insignia representing his military rank and medical branch of service:
After completing his surgical oncology fellowship and fulfilling his Army commitment, Leffall joined the faculty of the Howard University College of Medicine in 1962. In 1970, he became one of the youngest chairsâÂÂand the first African AmericanâÂÂto lead the Department of Surgery at Howard. In 1992, he was appointed the first Charles R. Drew Professor of Surgery, named in honor of the pioneering surgeon and medical innovator.
Throughout his more than five decades at Howard, Leffall was a dedicated educator and mentor, teaching approximately 6,000 medical students and training nearly 300 general surgery residents.
Leffall also made landmark contributions to national medical leadership. In 1978, he became the first African American elected president of the American Cancer Society. During his tenure, he launched the organizationâÂÂs first national cancer disparities initiative, which addressed the rising cancer burden among African Americans and became a national model for equity in cancer care.
He went on to become the first Black president of the American College of Surgeons in 1995, and also led the Society of Surgical Oncology and the Society of Surgical ChairmenâÂÂbreaking racial barriers and paving the way for underrepresented groups in surgical leadership.
In public health advocacy, Leffall served as board chair of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation from 2002 to 2007 and again from 2011 to 2012, where he championed efforts to improve outreach, screening, and treatment access in minority communities.
Appointed by President George W. Bush and reappointed by President Barack Obama, Leffall chaired the PresidentâÂÂs Cancer Panel from 2002 to 2011, advising the White House on cancer policy, disparities, and national prevention strategies.
In this role, he testified before Congress and federal agencies to advocate for stronger national cancer control policies. Key appearances included:
LeffallâÂÂs reputation extended globally through his affiliations with international medical bodies, including the Royal College of Surgeons of England, the German Surgical Society, the International Society of Surgery, the West African College of Surgeons, and the College of Surgeons of South Africa.
Throughout his career, LaSalle D. Leffall Jr. received 14 honorary degrees from institutions including Georgetown University, Amherst College, Meharry Medical College, and Princeton University. He was elected to the National Academy of Medicine, joining the highest ranks of the U.S. medical and scientific community.
Among his many honors, Leffall received the prestigious Candace Award for Science in 1983 from the National Coalition of 100 Black Women. In 1984, the American Cancer Society awarded him its Distinguished Service Award, one of the organization's highest honors, recognizing his exemplary leadership and long-standing commitment to cancer prevention and education.
He was also the first recipient of the Society of Surgical OncologyâÂÂs Heritage Award in 2001, recognizing his trailblazing role in cancer surgery and mentorship.
In 1995, LeffallâÂÂs former students and colleagues established the LaSalle D. Leffall Jr. Surgical Society at the Howard University College of Medicine to honor his impact as a mentor and educator. His enduring legacy also inspired the creation of the biennial LaSalle D. Leffall Jr. Cancer Prevention and Control Award, presented jointly by MD Anderson Cancer Center and the Intercultural Cancer Council.
Beyond his clinical and policy work, Leffall held interim senior administrative positions at Howard, including as interim senior vice president and provost, while continuing to teach and mentor students until his death in 2019.
Mentorship played a consistent role in LeffallâÂÂs career. Dr. Wendy Greene, who trained at Howard University, recalled his reflections on what he called the âÂÂGrace Notesâ of lifeâÂÂsmall but meaningful gestures that could enhance doctorâÂÂpatient relationships. She noted that he emphasized the importance of listening not only to patientsâ words, but also to the concerns behind them.
LeffallâÂÂs professional approach emphasized discipline, attentiveness, and sustained involvement in patient care. His contributions focused on practice and teaching rather than public attention.
Leffall died of cancer on May 25, 2019, in Washington, D.C., at the age of 89. He is survived by his wife, Ruth Leffall; his son, LaSalle D. Leffall III, also known as "Donney"; his sister, Dolores C. Leffall.
LaSalle D. Leffall Jr. was the first African American president of both the American Cancer Society and the American College of Surgeons, advancing diversity in national medical leadership.
As chair of surgery at Howard University College of Medicine, he trained generations of physicians and surgeons who went on to lead in academia, health policy, and clinical care.
Leffall championed cancer prevention and efforts to reduce health disparities, shaping national strategies focused on underserved communities.
Several honors have been established in his name, including the LaSalle D. Leffall Jr. Cancer Prevention and Control Award and the surgical society founded at Howard University.
Dr. Wayne A. I. Frederick, president of Howard University and former mentee, reflected:
LaSalle D. Leffall Jr. is prominently featured in the National Library of MedicineâÂÂs Opening Doors: Contemporary African American Academic Surgeons exhibit, which recognizes his groundbreaking career as a surgical oncologist, educator, and national leader. The exhibit highlights his role as the first African American president of the American Cancer Society, his chairmanship at Howard University College of Medicine, and his advocacy for cancer prevention and health equity. Through this national exhibition, LeffallâÂÂs enduring legacy is showcased as an inspiration for future generations of physicians and surgeons.
Legend
<div style="background:#e6f2ff; border:1px solid #aaa; padding:8px; margin:5px 0;"> May 22, 1930 â Born in Tallahassee, Florida. </div> â <div style="background:#d0f0c0; border:1px solid #aaa; padding:8px; margin:5px 0;"> 1948 â Graduated summa cum laude with a B.S. in biology from Florida A&M University. </div> â <div style="background:#d0f0c0; border:1px solid #aaa; padding:8px; margin:5px 0;"> 1952 â Earned M.D. from Howard University College of Medicine, graduating first in his class. </div> â <div style="background:#f9f2ec; border:1px solid #aaa; padding:8px; margin:5px 0;"> 1953âÂÂ1957 â Completed surgical residency at Freedmen's Hospital. </div> â <div style="background:#f9f2ec; border:1px solid #aaa; padding:8px; margin:5px 0;"> 1960âÂÂ1961 â Served as Major in the United States Army Medical Corps at U.S. Army Hospital in Munich, Germany. </div> â <div style="background:#f5e1f0; border:1px solid #aaa; padding:8px; margin:5px 0;"> 1962 â Joined faculty of Howard University College of Medicine. </div> â <div style="background:#f5e1f0; border:1px solid #aaa; padding:8px; margin:5px 0;"> 1970 â Appointed Chair of the Department of Surgery at Howard University. </div> â <div style="background:#f5e1f0; border:1px solid #aaa; padding:8px; margin:5px 0;"> 1978 â Elected first African American President of the American Cancer Society. </div> â <div style="background:#fff8dc; border:1px solid #aaa; padding:8px; margin:5px 0;"> 1983 â Received the Candace Award for Science from the National Coalition of 100 Black Women. </div> â <div style="background:#fff8dc; border:1px solid #aaa; padding:8px; margin:5px 0;"> 1992 â Named the first Charles R. Drew Professor of Surgery at Howard University. </div> â <div style="background:#f5e1f0; border:1px solid #aaa; padding:8px; margin:5px 0;"> 1995âÂÂ1996 â Served as President of the American College of Surgeons. </div> â <div style="background:#fff8dc; border:1px solid #aaa; padding:8px; margin:5px 0;"> 2001 â Received the inaugural Heritage Award from the Society of Surgical Oncology. </div> â <div style="background:#f5e1f0; border:1px solid #aaa; padding:8px; margin:5px 0;"> 2002âÂÂ2011 â Chaired the PresidentâÂÂs Cancer Panel under Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama. </div> â <div style="background:#f5e1f0; border:1px solid #aaa; padding:8px; margin:5px 0;"> 2002âÂÂ2007, 2011âÂÂ2012 â Chaired the Board of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. </div> â <div style="background:#fff8dc; border:1px solid #aaa; padding:8px; margin:5px 0;"> 2005 â Published memoir No Boundaries: A Cancer SurgeonâÂÂs Odyssey. </div> â <div style="background:#ffe6e6; border:1px solid #aaa; padding:8px; margin:5px 0;"> May 25, 2019 â Died of cancer in Washington, D.C., at age 89. </div>