June Jackson Christmas, a psychiatrist who achieved pioneering accomplishments as a Black woman by leading New York City’s Department of Mental Health and Retardation Services under three mayors, passed away on Sunday in the Bronx at the age of 99. Her daughter, Rachel Christmas Derrick, confirmed that she died at a hospital from heart failure.
As a city commissioner and chief of rehabilitation services at Harlem Hospital Center, Dr. Christmas fervently promoted her professional agenda. Her work included enhancing mental health services for older individuals, supporting people dealing with alcoholism, and helping children involved in foster care and the legal system. She also worked to facilitate the transition of patients from state mental hospitals to independent living. Dr. Christmas was a vocal advocate for civil rights from a young age, staging a sit-down strike at a segregated roller skating rink when she was 14, and continuously breaking barriers for Black women in various fields.
June Antoinette Jackson was born on June 7, 1924, in Boston to Lillian Annie (Riley) Jackson, who worked during World War II and as a state tax assessor, and Mortimer Jackson, a postal worker who advocated for the advancement of Black workers. Dr. Christmas graduated from Vassar College as one of the first three Black women with a degree in zoology, and later earned a medical degree in psychiatry from Boston University School of Medicine.
In 1972, after a brief tenure as a deputy commissioner, Dr. Christmas was appointed commissioner of the Department of Mental Health and Retardation Services by Mayor John V. Lindsay, making her a trailblazer as a Black woman in this role.
Dr. Christmas also founded Harlem Rehabilitation Center, which provided vocational training and psychiatric assistance to patients transitioning back into their communities after being discharged from psychiatric hospitals. She was a clinical professor of psychiatry and a professor of behavioral science at various universities and was the first Black woman president of the American Public Health Association in 1980.
Reflecting on her career, Dr. Christmas recognized the challenges of racism, noting instances of discrimination she experienced throughout her life. However, she remained committed to fighting against prejudice and racism, driven by the belief that education and understanding can help combat racism.
