Dunbar Hospital facts for kids

The Dunbar Hospital was a very important place in Detroit, Michigan, United States. It was the first hospital especially for the black community in the city. You can find it at 580 Frederick Street. Today, it is the main office for the Detroit Medical Society. This historic building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.

The Hospital Building: A Look Back

The building that became Dunbar Hospital was first built in 1892. It was designed by the Guy W. Vinton Company. This grand house was originally the home of a real estate developer named Charles W. Warren. It was located in a very popular neighborhood back then.

Building Style and Features

The hospital building is three stories tall. It mixes two old architectural styles: Romanesque Revival and Queen Anne. It is made of red brick and rough-cut stone. The main entrance has a cool arched porch on the first floor. The second floor has a double-arch brick balcony. The roof is made of slate. There's also a special windowed section on the front called a gabled dormer.

Why Dunbar Hospital Was Started

In 1894, a doctor named James W. Ames came to Detroit. He was a graduate of two universities, Straight University and Howard University. Dr. Ames quickly became an important person in Detroit. He was respected by both white and black communities.

Dr. Ames and Politics

At that time, Hazen S. Pingree was the mayor of Detroit. When Mayor Pingree ran for re-election, he wanted the support of black voters. He helped Dr. Ames run for a seat in the Michigan state legislature. A famous black poet, Paul Laurence Dunbar, even visited Detroit. He supported Mayor Pingree and wrote a poem for him. Both Dr. Ames and Mayor Pingree won their elections. Dr. Ames served in the legislature for two years. He was the last black person elected there until the 1920s.

The Need for a New Hospital

After World War I, many black people moved to Detroit. In 1910, fewer than 6,000 black people lived there. By 1917, more than 30,000 black people called Detroit home! This huge increase caused a big problem for healthcare. Hospitals were segregated, meaning black patients were often not allowed in hospitals for white people. Doctors like Ames had to ask special permission to admit black patients. Many times, black patients were simply turned away. The city's 30 black doctors struggled to care for everyone.

Founding the Allied Medical Society

In 1918, Dr. Ames led the 30 black doctors to form a group called the Allied Medical Society. The area around Frederick Street was becoming a lively center for Detroit's black community. The Allied Medical Society bought the old Warren home on Frederick Street. They opened their own non-profit hospital in the building. It was the first hospital in the city to serve the black community. They also started a nursing school there. The hospital was named after the poet Dunbar, who had passed away in 1906. This new hospital had 27 beds and an operating room.

Later Years of the Hospital

By 1928, the Dunbar Hospital needed more space because so many people needed care. It moved to a bigger building a few blocks away. The hospital was then renamed Parkside Hospital. It continued to help people until 1962.

The Building's New Owners

Soon after Dunbar Hospital moved, Charles Diggs Sr. bought the original building on Frederick Street. Charles Diggs Sr. later became the first African-American Democratic state senator. His son, Charles C. Diggs Jr., also became a very important politician. He served in the Michigan State Senate and later in the U.S. House of Representatives. In 1978, the Detroit Medical Society bought the building again. They fixed it up and now use it as their main office. It also serves as a museum, telling the story of this important place.