Taborian Hospital facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Taborian Hospital |
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|---|---|
| International Order of Twelve Knights and Daughters of Tabor | |
| Geography | |
| Location | Mississippi, United States |
| Organization | |
| Hospital type | General |
| History | |
| Closed | 1983 |
The Taborian Hospital in Mound Bayou, Mississippi was a very special place. It opened in 1942 with a big celebration. The hospital was started by a group called the International Order of Twelve Knights and Daughters of Tabor. What made it unique was that all the doctors and nurses were Black.
This hospital had modern equipment for its time. It had two operating rooms, an X-ray machine, and even a blood bank. Money to run the hospital came from group members and donations.
A Special Doctor and Civil Rights
The first main surgeon at Taborian Hospital was T. R. M. Howard. He later became an important leader in the civil rights movement in Mississippi. Dr. Howard also guided famous civil rights figures like Medgar Evers and Fannie Lou Hamer. Fannie Lou Hamer was even a patient at the hospital sometimes.
Changes and Challenges
Over the years, the hospital faced money problems. In 1967, the United States government took over its operations. It was then renamed the Mound Bayou Community Hospital. The hospital finally closed its doors in 1983.
Restoring a Historic Building
After many years, the original hospital building was empty. In the 1990s, the Knights and Daughters of Tabor started a project. They wanted to fix up the old hospital.
In 2011, work began to restore the building. The plan is to turn it into a modern medical center for the area. When it's finished, part of the building will be an urgent care clinic. This clinic will use telemedicine, which means doctors can help patients from far away. They will work with the University of Mississippi Medical Center. During the construction, workers are careful to keep the building's historic look.
