Edwin Caldwell (1867-1932) was a Black physician who developed the cure for pellagra. The son of Wilson Caldwell, an individual enslaved by UNC President David L. Swain, Edwin Caldwell was a child when his family was freed. Not much is known about Caldwell’s life outside of his career. In 1890, he graduated from the Leonard Medical School at Shaw University, where, in addition to traditional subjects like chemistry and surgery, he studied specific topics like forensic medicine and obstetrics. After graduating and passing the state board exam, Caldwell was certified to practice medicine for all general conditions.
In 1892, Caldwell moved to Osceola, Arkansas. He lived there for seventeen years, specifically advertising his ability to assist patients struggling with addictions. He eventually moved back to North Carolina, where he treated both Black and white patients. Caldwell is credited with discovering effective treatment for pellagra, a vitamin deficiency, before a formal cure was standardized. Caldwell died in 1932. He is buried in Old Chapel Hill Cemetery in a section intended for Black individuals enslaved and, later, employed by UNC.