Arthur Falls facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Doctor
Arthur Grand Pre’ Falls
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| Born | December 25, 1901 |
| Died | January 9, 2000 |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Physician |
| Known for | Founding first Chicago Catholic Worker |
Arthur Grand Pre’ Falls (born December 25, 1901 – died January 9, 2000) was an African-American doctor and activist from Chicago. In 1925, he started Chicago's first Catholic Worker group.
Dr. Falls graduated from the medical school at Northwestern University. He played a big part in ending segregation (separation of people by race) in Chicago's hospitals and medical places.
Contents
A Doctor Who Fought for Fairness
Growing Up and Getting an Education
Arthur Falls was born in 1901 to William Arthur and Angelina Santalia Degrandprie Falls. His family was Creole and Catholic. His dad was a postman, and his mom was a dressmaker. Arthur went to public schools because Catholic schools in his area did not accept Black students at that time. His family went to Our Lady of Solace Catholic Church.
Arthur studied at the medical school at Northwestern University. He became a licensed doctor in 1925. He opened his own doctor's office near Provident Hospital. This was the only hospital in Chicago that treated Black patients. Other Catholic hospitals were still segregated, meaning they only accepted white patients.
Fighting for Change
Dr. Falls was very active in his community. He worked with the Chicago Urban League, which helped African Americans. He also joined the Federated Colored Catholics. This was a group for Black Catholics started in 1925 by Dr. Thomas Wyatt Turner, another Black doctor and activist.
Later, a group of white Jesuits took over the Federated Colored Catholics. They changed it into the Catholic Interracial Council. Dr. Falls liked the idea of people of all races working together. He tried to start a chapter of this new group in Chicago, but it didn't work out.
In 1934, Dr. Falls met Peter Maurin. This meeting introduced him to the new Catholic Worker Movement. He became very interested and started talking with Dorothy Day, who helped lead the movement. He encouraged her to open a Catholic Worker house in Chicago. He even convinced her to change the group's logo to include a black hand along with two white ones. Because of his efforts, a Chicago Catholic Worker school opened in 1936. Unlike other Catholic Worker houses, this one focused on education instead of just offering shelter.
Around this time, Dr. Falls also started pushing the Chicago archdiocese (the local Catholic Church leaders) to end segregation in their offices and hospitals. He often didn't get a response. He had a long disagreement with the archbishop, Cardinal Samuel Stritch. The Cardinal wanted to make changes slowly, even as racial tensions were high in the city.
Dr. Falls and other Black doctors filed many lawsuits against the city's hospitals. Their hard work led to the end of segregation in these hospitals by 1964. This meant that both religious and non-religious hospitals had to accept Black patients and Black doctors like Dr. Falls.
Dr. Falls believed in pacifism, which means refusing to use violence. He agreed with the Catholic Worker movement and Dorothy Day on this point. Because of his beliefs, he refused to serve in World War II.
In 1953, Dr. Falls faced another challenge. After he moved into the all-white suburb of Western Springs, the city tried to take his property. This was called eminent domain, and his neighbors who didn't want him there supported it. Dr. Falls sued to keep his property and won in court.
Later Years
Dr. Falls passed away in January 2000 at the age of 98. He had been living in a nursing home in Michigan. His funeral was held at St John of the Cross Catholic Church in Western Springs, where he used to live. He is buried at Queen of Heaven Cemetery in Hillside, Illinois.
Family Life
Dr. Falls was married to his wife Lillian until she passed away in 1988. They had one son, Arthur Jr.
His Lasting Impact
Dr. Falls is known for creating the term "the Mythical Body of Christ." He used this term to describe the idea that the white Catholic experience was seen as the only normal or important one, leaving out other groups. He believed this idea was wrong.
A book about Dr. Falls' ideas on racial justice was published in 2014 by Lincoln Rice. Dr. Falls also left behind a memoir that he dictated himself.
See Also
- Catholic Worker Movement
- Desegregation in the United States
- African-American history in Chicago
