About this Collection

C. Everett Koop (1916-2013) was an American pediatric surgeon who during a forty-year medical career pioneered important improvements in the surgical treatment of children. As U.S. Surgeon General from 1981 to 1989, he turned the office into an authoritative platform from which to educate the nation on major public health concerns including smoking, violence, and, most urgently, AIDS. The National Library of Medicine is the repository for the C. Everett Koop Papers, which range from 1933 to 2005. The collection contains speeches, reminiscences, photographs, correspondence, lecture notes, published articles and editorials, political cartoons, and audiovisual recordings.

As part of its Profiles in Science project, the National Library of Medicine has made available online a digitized selection of the C. Everett Koop Papers. This website provides access to the portions of the C. Everett Koop Papers that are now publicly available. Individuals interested in conducting research using the full collection of C. Everett Koop Papers should contact the National Library of Medicine.

This Profile is designed to introduce you to the various phases of Koop's scientific career and professional life. Narrative sections available from the navigation bar under "The Story" focus on Koop's life and major scientific contributions to public health.

Researchers can search the digitized items using the Search box or browse all Documents and Visuals in the collection by selecting "Collection Items" from the navigation bar.