ST. LOUIS — Homer G. Phillips, an alumnus of Howard University, returned to St. Louis with a mission to advocate for rights through his law practice. His efforts to challenge segregation and defend African Americans prosecuted in the aftermath of the 1917 race riots in East St. Louis, Illinois, marked the beginning of a significant chapter in civil rights advocacy.
Phillips established a Black-operated hospital and medical training facility in 1923. It was named in his honor.
For decades, from the 1930s through the 1980s, the hospital served as a vital healthcare provider for the African American community in St. Louis. It became a pioneering institution for the education of Black physicians and nurses.
Before the hospital’s establishment, African Americans were relegated to segregated medical facilities. Within a few years of its opening, Homer G. Phillips Hospital boasted a staff of 52 Black physicians and its training school accepted over half of the Black graduates from American medical schools.
“The medical professionals themselves who worked at Homer G. Phillips felt important. It was important. Many of them were teachers. They turned around and taught at a medical school, really trying to amplify the voices of up-and-coming black doctors. Homer G. Phillips was for a long time, was one of the only places, premier places, to get medical training,” said Emily Koeltzow, K-12 programs coordinator.
The Missouri History Museum is currently hosting “History Exploration Days: The Doctor Is In: Health and Medicine.” This event, which is free to the public, is scheduled for Friday and Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Attendees will have the opportunity to explore medical tools and artifacts used by pioneers in Black medicine. The exhibit aims to highlight the struggles and triumphs of Black St. Louisans as they fought for adequate medical care and the right to professional education in the medical field during the 20th century.
This retrospective not only honors Homer G. Phillips’ remarkable contributions to civil rights and healthcare but also celebrates the broader struggle for equality and access to medical education for African Americans in St. Louis and beyond.
