A TMZ stringer recently caught up with former UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey, and tried to engage her in a quick Q&A, asking “What was the last movie you saw?”
With admirable respect and grace, Rousey declined to answer, noting she was out with her family, and naming her sister Maria, and her mother. Mom is also Dr. AnnMaria De Mars, a technology executive, Native American rights activist, and the first American to win a world championship in Judo.
Dr. DeMars was born AnnMaria Waddell. Her father was Joseph Arthur Waddell. Her grandfather was Dr. Alfred E. Waddell, one of North America’s first black physicians. The proud granddaughter decided to answer the question.
“I’ll give you a movie – ‘Before His Time’,” replied Dr. DeMars. “It’s my grandfather, Ronda’s great grandfather. They show it [during] Black History Month in Canada, because he was one of the first black physicians in North America… ‘Before His Time’ – great movie.”
Before His Time – About the Film
Lalita Krishna’s Before His Time is the astonishing story of a determined Trinidadian doctor who immigrated to Halifax. The son of a headmaster, Alfred Waddell set out for New York in 1923 with his young bride Amelia Maria, dreaming of becoming a doctor.
The couple worked menial jobs to support themselves in New York. In 1928 Alfred left his family to study medicine at Dalhousie’s medical school in Halifax. Amelia Maria finally joined him with their 4 children. Graduating in 1933, he faced the suspicions of Halifax’s white and black communities who regarded him as an “outsider.” His practice took off slowly. Members of the Chinese community were among his first clients.
Despite his own hardships, Waddell treated many isolated people who had no access to medical care. Waddell brought medicine to far flung black communities; spoke out against injustice; and even billeted black musicians like Cab Calloway, when he could not get a hotel room. A champion of social equality, Dr. Waddell raised his children with ideas of fairness and earned the respect of an entire city.
Although he died of a heart attack before he could see many of the the social changes he fought for, Alfred Waddell is remembered fondly his those who benefited from his advocacy.
Source: White Pine Pictures
