She was the first licensed African American female doctor in Denver, Colorado,[1] and practiced gynecology, obstetrics, and pediatrics from her home for half a century.

[2][3] In 1892 she married Baptist minister John Ford and subsequently moved to Chicago, where she graduated from the Hering Medical College in 1899.

[1] Since African Americans were barred at the time from working in hospitals or joining the Colorado Medical Association, Ford set up a private practice in her home in Five Points, where she specialized in gynecology, obstetrics, and pediatrics.

[2] Ford practiced medicine from her home for 50 years, serving a diverse clientele that included "poor whites, African-Americans, and non-English speaking immigrants who were turned away from hospitals".

[2] In 1988, Ford's home in Five Points, Denver, was converted into the Black American West Museum and Heritage Center.