Alice Woodby McKane facts for kids
Alice Woodby McKane (born 1865, died 1948) was an amazing woman. She was the first female doctor in Savannah, Georgia. Alice was also a politician and a writer. She and her husband, Cornelius McKane, made a big difference in medical history. They opened the first nursing school for African Americans in Savannah. They also helped open a hospital in Liberia. Later, they started the McKane Hospital for Women and Children in Savannah. This hospital, later called Charity Hospital, treated everyone, especially African American people.
Early Life and Learning
Alice Woodby McKane was born on February 12, 1865, in Bridgewater, Pennsylvania. Sadly, her parents passed away before she turned seven. She also lost her eyesight for three years during her childhood.
Alice went to public schools. She later attended the Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute in Virginia. As a college student at the Institute for Colored Youth (now Cheyney University of Pennsylvania), she worked as a secretary for the principal, Fannie Coppin.
Alice graduated from the Institute for Colored Youth in Philadelphia. In 1889, she joined the Woman's Medical College of Pennsylvania. She studied hard and graduated in 1892 with high honors, earning her medical degree.
Her Important Career
Medical Work
After becoming a doctor, Alice moved to Augusta, Georgia. There, she taught at the Haines Normal and Industrial Institute, which is now the Lucy Craft Laney High School. In Augusta, she met Cornelius McKane, who was the grandson of a Liberian King.
Alice moved with Cornelius to Savannah to join his medical practice. In 1892, she was the only Black female doctor in Georgia. In 1893, Alice and Cornelius opened the McKane Training School for Nurses. This was the first school of its kind in Southeast Georgia for Black nurses.
The first two-year nursing course began on September 1, 1893. Alice worked as the principal of the school. Students who wanted to join had to pass tests in English, math, and geography. The course taught students important subjects like anatomy, physiology, hygiene, and midwifery. It prepared them to become skilled nurses. The first group of students finished their course in May 1895.
After the first course, Alice and Cornelius traveled to New York. They prepared food and medical supplies for a trip to Africa. In August 1895, they opened the first hospital in Monrovia, Liberia. They also started a drugstore and a nursing school there.
The U.S. Government asked Alice to perform health checks. She examined Black Civil War veterans who moved to Liberia from America. In 1896, Alice became sick with African fever. She and her husband had to return to America. They came back to Savannah in February 1896.
Alice continued to improve the McKane Training School for Nurses. She also helped establish the McKane Hospital for Women and Children. In 1901, the hospital's name was changed to Charity Hospital.
Writing and Politics
In 1909, Alice and Cornelius moved to Boston. They wanted better educational opportunities for their children. Cornelius McKane passed away in 1912 at age fifty.
After his death, Alice continued her medical work. She also became involved in politics and writing. She supported the women's suffrage movement, which fought for women's right to vote. She was a Republican committee woman. Alice was also a member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).
Alice published two books. Her first book, The Fraternal Sick Book, was about healing and came out in 1913. In 1914, she wrote and published Clover Leaves, a book of poetry. Alice Woodby McKane passed away on March 6, 1948, at eighty-three years old.
