Jocelyn Elders, a pediatric endocrinologist, was the first Black American and the second woman to serve as the U.S. surgeon general. Throughout her career, Elders was a strong advocate for comprehensive sex education for young people. During her tenure as surgeon general (1993 to 1994), Elders proposed creating the Office of Adolescent Health, which is now part of the Department of Health and Human Services.

Elders is known for her frank discussion of her views on controversial issues such as drug legalization, masturbation, and distributing contraception in schools.  She was forced to resign in December 1994 amidst controversy as a result of her views. 

In 1987, she became the director of public health where she started a project to lower the rate of teen pregnancy by providing birth control, counseling, and sex education at school-based clinics. She also increased the availability of HIV testing and counseling services, breast cancer screenings, round-the-clock care for the elderly, and services for patients who were terminally ill. From 1988 to 1992, she saw a 10-fold increase in the number of early childhood screenings and a 24% rise in immunization rates.

Elders was inducted into the Arkansas Women's Hall of Fame in 2016.

Today, Elders teaches at the University of Arkansas and is the spokesperson for “Changing the Face of Medicine,” a campaign that aims to increase the percentage of black doctors in the United States.