In the post-Reconstruction period, Louisville’s African Americans established separate institutions to meet the medical needs of their community. Henry Fitzbutler, the first African American doctor to practice in Louisville, was instrumental in the establishment of a medical college for aspiring black physicians. His school, the Louisville National Medical College, opened in 1888 and operated in Louisville for nearly 25 years. Some graduates of the Louisville National Medical College went on to practice at the Red Cross Hospital—an inpatient facility founded by a group of black physicians in 1899. Come learn more about the institutions that were instrumental in meeting the medical needs of African Americans during segregation.
Jana Meyer is the Reference Librarian at The Filson. She has a Bachelor’s degree in History from the University of Louisville and a Master’s degree in Library and Information Science from the University of Kentucky.