Dr. Herman Taylor Jr. boasts an impressive resume, reflecting a distinguished career in the medical field. Educated at Ivy League institutions, honored by his peers, and credited in numerous prestigious medical journals, Taylor has made significant contributions to cardiology, particularly with the Jackson Heart Study, the largest heart health study focusing on Black individuals. Through his role in the Football Players Health Study at Harvard University during Super Bowl weekend in New Orleans, Taylor continues to make his mark.
As a renowned professor and head of the Cardiovascular Research Institute at the Morehouse School of Medicine, Dr. Taylor is reshaping perceptions about Black Americans’ health. By acknowledging their challenges and triumphs, he is working to highlight resilience within this community. His own strength is credited to an upbringing during turbulent times, fostering a drive to assist others.
Growing up in Birmingham, Alabama, surrounded by the steelworking and mining industries, Taylor’s early life was colored by segregation and civil rights struggles. He witnessed police action against protestors and was personally affected when a rock was hurled through his family’s home window. These experiences, he explained, spurred his resolve to combat prejudice and inequality.
Family played a vital role in providing Taylor with stability amidst chaos. With both parents setting examples of leadership and perseverance, he was instilled with confidence and resilience. This foundational support propelled Taylor through an integrated Catholic high school and onto prestigious academic opportunities.
Taylor credits his grandmother for steering him toward a medical career, and summer research at Cornell Medical School broadened his focus to cardiology and health disparities. While treating underserved communities, Taylor recognized that impactful change requires addressing systemic issues beyond individual interactions, a belief inspired by his family’s values.
Serving Miami’s Liberty City community highlighted the intersection of health and civic engagement, reinforcing the importance of a voice through voting, which influences health outcomes in myriad ways. This holistic approach to health would later underpin his work with the Jackson Heart Study.
In Jackson, Mississippi, Dr. Taylor led efforts from 1998 that illuminated cardiovascular risks and social determinants of health within the Black community. The study expanded into an intergenerational initiative engaging community, academia, and healthcare professionals, fostering a network of support and trust amongst participants.
Later, his expertise was sought by Harvard University for a study focusing on health issues faced by former NFL players, drawing parallels to the community-driven approach in Jackson. These efforts have yielded vital insights into health risks, notably for heart and brain health.
Taylor’s leadership style emphasizes collaboration and listening to diverse insights. He’s known for inspiring solutions by valuing contributions from a wide range of perspectives, a trait his wife, Jasmine Taylor, says fosters a productive, open environment for teamwork.
Close friend Dr. Ernest Carter attests to Taylor’s charisma and effective communication skills, drawn from a shared experience of communal upbringing in the South, which emphasized mutual support and resilience.
Resilience, as a key theme in Taylor’s narrative, extends beyond individual success, encapsulating a broader societal context. Taylor believes that understanding the resilience within the Black community holds the potential to unlock universal truths about overcoming adversity.
At Morehouse, since 2014, Taylor has focused on researching Black resilience, challenging narratives of poor health by highlighting stories of endurance and longevity despite societal deterrents. This objective seeks to provide a more balanced view of health and discover novel therapeutic strategies.
Working with Jasmine Taylor on resilience studies, Dr. Taylor aims to empower communities often marginalized by conventional narratives, advocating for positive change while maintaining personal well-being and humanity. His vision embraces resilience as a universal tale of human endurance and triumph.
