Dr. Sam Lett, Selma's first Black OB-GYN, dies at age 75

Dr. Samuel C. Lett, Selma’s first Black OB-GYN who birthed 5,000 babies over his 42-year career, passed away on Feb. 20 at age 75.

Lett was responsible for supporting the births of many of Selma’s children at Vaughan Regional Medical Center and brought prenatal care and fertility to Black women in Selma, who at that time were denied care.

Dr. Sam Lett was Selma’s first Black OB-GYN, beginning his practice at the old Vaughan Regional Hospital on Dallas Avenue that later moved to Medical Parkway. Lett was especially proud to be the only OB-GYN to deliver four sets of triplets in the City of Selma. His daughter, Caitlin, entered the medical field as Dr. Caitlin Lett.

Dr. Sam Lett grew up in Tabernacle Baptist Church under the leadership of Rev. Louis Lloyd Anderson, his mentor. He was ordained as a deacon in 1974 (Meharry student). This began his 51 years-tenure of deaconship and church leadership. As he studied in Nashville and Kansas City, he served as deacon in Biblically sound Baptist churches with strong pastoral leadership. These experiences added to the training he had received from Rev. Anderson. Dr. Sam Lett, with his R. B. Hudson classmates, marched for voting rights during the 1960s Voting Rights Movement. He spoke often of his time as a foot soldier.

Upon graduating from the segregated R.B. Hudson High School in 1968, he attended Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia on a full football scholarship. He stayed at Marshall his freshman year, but transferred to Knoxville College in Tennessee for his sophomore year. During his freshman year, the “Marshall Thundering Herd” was killed on an away game. Sam had not gone due to an injury. This was the second time in his young life that God had protected him from death.

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His parents were also Black farmers. One day while bush hogging on a steep incline, his tractor did not make the incline and turned over with him inside and he only sustained minor injuries.

Later in life, Dr. Sam Lett was proud that their mother’s dream was realized. He and his two brothers—all three brothers—had earned a Doctor of Medicine degree to provide quality healthcare to the underserved, especially in impoverished Selma. He also was pleased that their sister earned her Doctorate of Education to provide quality education to the underserved in Selma. Rev. Dr. W.G. Lett and Dr. Earline W. Lett had honorary doctorate degrees conferred upon them by Selma University, their alma mater. Dr. Sam even followed his mother’s example in serving Selma as a School Board Member, 2001-2005.

His sister, Dr. Verdell Lett Dawson, Ed. D., shared some comments about her beloved brother, during her interview with the Selma Sun Newspaper, “My youngest brother, Dr. Samuel C. Lett, made the decision to return to his hometown of Selma to provide Negro women and children of the 1980s and beyond quality childbearing care. He was motivated by the untimely and preventable death of our maternal grandmother, Mrs. Alma Washington, due to the lack of quality healthcare for the African American Community. … For him, quality childbirth care in Selma and Dallas County also included fertility care for those women who longed to be mothers. In those early years, he brought the second Black OB-GYN, Dr. Timothy Marlow, to Selma as his partner. Both of them were dedicated to helping women and children. We miss both of them but honor their hard work.” Dr. Dawson also shared with the Selma Sun, words from Dr. Lett’s past patients, stating the importance of their testimonies.

One of his former patients, Faye Suttle-King-Knox, wrote to the family, “Your Dad also saved my mom’s life. Your Uncle Charles and your dad tag teamed a 20 lb. tumor that my mom was carrying around for years. I will never forget what he did for me and my family,” later in her comments, she speaks on her own personal experience with Dr. Lett, “He was my OBGYN until I developed a pituitary tumor, and he transferred me to Kirkland Center, in Bham, for treatment. But after then, he still was my doctor. I love you all, even though you don’t know me.”

Lett leaves to cherish his life with fond memories: His wife, Mrs. Constance Lett (Selma, AL); Three children: Samuel C. Lett, Jr. (Selma, AL); Dr. Caitlin J. Lett, DNP-CRNP (Birmingham, AL), Martin F. Lett, (Atlanta, GA); One grandson: Cadet Deon Hunter (Huntsville, AL); One sister, Dr. Verdell Lett Dawson, Ed. D. (Selma, AL); Two Brothers: Dr. W. James (Patsy) Lett, M.D. (San Antonio, TX); Rev. Dr. Charles L. Lett, M.D. (Selma, AL); One foster Sister: Mrs. Betty (Clarence) Carter (Douglasville, GA): and many Nieces, Nephews, Cousins, Grand Nieces, Nephews, Cousins, and Friends.