BINGHAMTON, N.Y. -- It's a proud proclamation from one of Broome County's most influential people.

"I am the first black female doctor," said Dr. Beverly Hosten Dorsey, Broome County's first black female doctor.

Dr. Beverly Hosten Dorsey met Binghamton native, Dr. Beverly Dorsey, while in medical school at Howard University.

"This young man came to me and said, 'Well you have my first name.' I thought to myself, this presumptuous man. I have his first name. He should've said well we both share the same name," said Dorsey.

The two married years later and moved to Binghamton in 1954.

"I found that Binghamton was a nice place to raise our children as well as do our practice in medicine. When I came and we did our internship at Wilson. After we did our internship, we practiced with Endicott Johnson, the big shoe company," said Dorsey.

Dorsey said Endicott Johnson did not discriminate against employees. 

Patients could see whomever they wanted at the medical clinic. 

"I didn't have any problems, if people had problems with me. They knew who we were. They knew that we were black doctors and they came if they wanted to. If you didn't want to see Dr. Hosten because she was black, that was your choice," said Dorsey.

While Dorsey did not experience discrimination at work, she and her husband did encounter it in the community.

"There was one time we experienced some discrimination and that was when he was invited to join the Binghamton Tennis Club and some people objected. 'We can't have that in our community,' so the people owners of the club rescinded," said Dorsey. 

But these acts didn't discourage the family.

Each encounter was met with a lesson.

"It was such that I could correct it and do something about it. There were no repercussions," said Dorsey.

Despite those experiences, Mrs. Dorsey and her husband were among a few black doctors to remain in the area. 

Dorsey has been retired for more than 20 years, but she is still well respected in the community. 

"Mrs. Dorsey means to stand up for herself and let people know that her presence is here," said Dorsey.