Alexander Darnes facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dr. Alexander Hanson Darnes
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Dr. Alexander H. Darnes, c.1890
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| Born | 1840 |
| Died | February 11, 1894 |
| Resting place | Old City Cemetery |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | Lincoln University, Howard University |
| Occupation | Physician |
Alexander Hanson Darnes (born around 1840 – died February 11, 1894) was a very important doctor in Jacksonville, Florida. He was the first African-American doctor in that city and the second in the whole state of Florida.
Darnes was born into slavery in St. Augustine, Florida. As a young man, he worked for Edmund Kirby Smith, whose family owned Darnes. Smith later became a general during the Civil War.
After the war, when slavery ended, Darnes got a chance to go to school. He was helped by Frances Smith Webster, who was Kirby Smith's older sister. Darnes studied at Lincoln University and then went to medical school at Howard University. He became a doctor in 1880.
Dr. Darnes returned to Florida and started his medical practice in Jacksonville. He was known for helping people during a terrible yellow fever outbreak in 1888. Many people left the city, but Dr. Darnes stayed to care for those who remained. He was highly respected by everyone. About 3,000 people, both black and white, attended his funeral. This was the largest funeral in Jacksonville's history at that time.
In 2004, a statue called Sons of the City was put up in St. Augustine. It shows both Dr. Darnes and Kirby Smith as adults. This was the first public statue in the city to honor an African American.
Early Life and Education
Alexander H. Darnes was born into slavery in St. Augustine, Florida. His mother, Violet Pinkney, worked in the household of Judge Joseph Lee Smith and Frances Kirby Smith. Alexander and his mother were owned by the Smith family.
Alexander Darnes was assigned to Edmund Kirby Smith when he was about 15 years old. Kirby Smith was the youngest son of the family. Darnes traveled with Smith when he served in the United States Army. He continued to serve Smith during the Civil War, when Smith became a general for the Confederacy.
After the Civil War, slavery ended in the United States. Alexander Darnes was then able to get an education. Frances Smith Webster, Kirby Smith's older sister, helped him financially. Darnes attended Lincoln University, which is a historically black college in Pennsylvania. After that, he went to medical school at Howard University in Washington, D.C.. He earned his medical degree in 1880.
Medical Career
After finishing medical school, Dr. Darnes came back to Florida. He chose to live and work in Jacksonville. He opened his own medical office there. He was the first black doctor in Jacksonville and the second in all of Florida.
Dr. Darnes quickly built a successful practice. He became a very important person in the community. He was praised for his hard work during outbreaks of smallpox and yellow fever in Jacksonville. In 1888, a very bad yellow fever epidemic hit the city. About half of Jacksonville's 25,000 residents left to escape the disease. But Dr. Darnes stayed to help the sick. His friend, Dr. Lemuel W. Livingston, also a Howard Medical School graduate, helped him.
Dr. Darnes was also a member of the Freemasons, a well-known social group. He became a leader in the Florida Freemasons. He was also a member of the Mount Zion AME Church. This church was one of the first independent black churches in the United States.
Dr. Darnes became a friend and mentor to a young boy named James Weldon Johnson. James Weldon Johnson and his brother John Rosamond Johnson later wrote the famous song "Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing". This song is often called "The Negro National Anthem." James Weldon Johnson wrote about Dr. Darnes in his autobiography.
Dr. Darnes passed away in February 1894. His funeral was attended by over 3,000 people, both black and white. It was the largest funeral ever held in Jacksonville at that time.
Legacy and Honors
- In 1894, Dr. Darnes' funeral was attended by more than 3,000 people. Local newspapers wrote about his life and death.
- In 2004, a life-size bronze statue called Sons of the City was created. It shows Dr. Darnes and General Edmund Kirby Smith as adults. Dr. Darnes' medical bag is shown next to him. The statue was placed in the courtyard of the Segui-Kirby Smith House in St. Augustine. This was the first public statue in St. Augustine to honor an African-American man.
- In 2013, a group called the Kirby Smith chapter of the Sons of Confederate Veterans found that Dr. Darnes' grave was in poor condition. They helped to put up a new marble gravestone for him.
