Emma Rochelle Wheeler facts for kids

Emma Rochelle Wheeler was an important African American doctor in Chattanooga, Tennessee. She is famous for opening and running Walden Hospital with her husband. This hospital had rooms for patients, surgery areas, and even a school for nurses. Emma also helped start the Pi Omega chapter of the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority.

Early Life and Inspiration

Emma was born on February 7, 1882, in Gainesville, Florida. Her father was a successful animal doctor, and her mother was very caring. When Emma was a child, she had an eye problem and needed to see a doctor. She became good friends with her doctor, who was a white woman. This experience sparked Emma's interest in medicine.

Becoming a Doctor

Emma's dream of becoming a doctor started when she was just six years old. She worked hard to achieve this goal. She went to Cookman Institute in Jacksonville, Florida, for her college studies. Emma graduated in 1900 when she was 17.

After college, she married her professor, Joseph Howard. This paused her medical career for a short time. Sadly, Joseph died in 1901. Emma then moved to Nashville, Tennessee, with her baby son. In Nashville, she attended Meharry Medical College, which was part of Walden University. She finally graduated as a doctor in 1905.

Opening Walden Hospital

After becoming a doctor, Emma, her second husband, John, and her son Joseph moved to Chattanooga, Tennessee. Emma made history there as the first African American female doctor in the city!

In 1915, Emma and John opened Walden Hospital. It was located in Downtown Chattanooga. Before Walden Hospital, African American patients often had to stay in the basements of hospitals that mainly served white people. Walden Hospital changed this. It offered excellent medical care to the Black community.

The hospital was a huge success! It had 30 beds, including nine private rooms. There was also a large room with 12 beds. The hospital had special areas for surgery, maternity (for new mothers), and a nursery for babies. Walden Hospital became so popular that Emma and John were able to hire 17 doctors and surgeons. They also hired two or three nurses. They even paid off all the building debt in just three years!

Training Nurses and Helping the Community

Emma and John also trained young African American nurses at Walden Hospital. Emma was a teacher, a surgeon, and the leader of the hospital. During this busy time, she also started the Nurse Services Club of Chattanooga.

Members of this club paid a small fee. This fee allowed them to stay in the hospital for two weeks if they needed care. It also meant a nurse would visit them at home after they left the hospital. Emma's club offered affordable healthcare to African Americans in Chattanooga who might not have been able to get it otherwise. It was the first club of its kind!

Later Years and Legacy

In 1940, a sad event happened. Dr. John Wheeler, Emma's husband, passed away from an illness he caught at his own hospital. Emma continued her important work at Walden Hospital by herself. For over 20 years, she worked as both a doctor and a nurse trainer. She taught nurses between seeing patients. This was part of her dream to improve medical care for all African Americans.

All this hard work eventually affected Emma's health. She decided to retire. On June 30, 1953, Walden Hospital closed its doors. Emma's health had gotten much worse during her years at the hospital. However, she continued her general medical practice until shortly before she died in 1957.

Death and Honors

Emma Rochelle Wheeler passed away on September 12, 1957. She died at George W. Hubbard Hospital in Nashville. Her body was brought back to Chattanooga. She was buried in Highland Cemetery next to her husband, Dr. John Wheeler.

In 1962, Chattanooga honored Emma's memory. They named a new government housing development after her. This was to remember her legacy of hope for African American nurses, doctors, and patients. Walden Hospital has since been changed into apartments. A special plaque outside the building tells Emma's amazing story.