Breaking the Bedside Barrier: The Legacy of Black Hospitals

Arrested Mobility

In 1942, the Taborian Hospital opened in Mound Bayou, Mississippi. At a time when most hospitals segregated Black from White patients or turned Black patients away, the Taborian Hospital provided equal treatment and care for all.

There is no question that desegregation and the Civil Rights Movement improved access to healthcare for Black Americans. But today, rural hospitals increasingly face closure, and healthcare disparities continue to negatively impact Black Americans. It’s worth investigating the history of the Taborian Hospital, and other hospitals that were visited and staffed by Black patients, nurses, and doctors.

In this episode, we'll talk to Myrna Smith-Thompson, Dr. Ezelle Sanford III, and Dr. Vanessa Northington Gamble.

Special thanks to Lauren Sausser and KFF Health News.