Dr. Emmett J. Conrad

The Emmett J. Conrad name represents an uncommon dignity, valor, dedication and sense of responsibility to mankind.

Dr. Emmett J. Conrad was born and reared in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the grandchild of slaves. He completed pre-med studies at Stanford University and graduated from the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama and the Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tennessee.

In 1955, he moved to Dallas and began his medical career at St. Paul Hospital. Conrad was the first African American surgeon admitted to the staff at the medical center. By 1981, he was named the first black president of the Greater Dallas Community of Churches.

Conrad served in the U.S. military during both World War II and the Korean War. Although being recognized for his commitment to medicine, Conrad also distinguished himself for his sense of humor, commitment to family and involvement in the community.

A true coalition builder, Conrad ventured into the civic and political arenas and applied this skill to promote education in Dallas and throughout Texas.

In 1967 Dr. Conrad became the first African-American elected citywide to the Dallas Independent School District Board of Trustees, a position he held until 1977. In l984, then Governor Mark White appointed Conrad as one of the first members of a newly-formed State Board of Education. Extending the reach of his service to education, he also served on the Texas Senate Committee for Financing Public Education.

Conrad also promoted free-lunch programs for low-income students and the integration of administrative staff.

Conrad died April 24, 1993 at age 69. He is survived by his wife, Eleanor, and the couple’s daughter Dr. Cecilia Conrad. Without taking away from his great achievement in medicine, Dr. Conrad will be most remembered for his concern and work for the community.