On Feb. 2, the Office of Councilmember Price joined community partners to honor the legacy of the Vernbro Medical Center during a special square dedication near the intersection of Vernon Avenue and Broadway.
Founded in 1953, this medical center in District 9 was the first Black-owned specialty medical group practice west of the Mississippi. This historic center was established out of necessity, at a time when most major hospitals would not allow Black doctors on their medical staff, preventing Black physicians from working in the field of medicine and worsening access to quality medical care for Black patients.
Taking a page right out of Black History, during the Great Migration, where over six million African Americans moved West, Black travelers utilized the Negro Motorist Green Book to avoid discrimination. Holding a listing in the guidebook, Vernbro Medical Center became a safe haven for African Americans who sought after medical treatment.
Today, Vernbro Medical Center serves as a multi-specialty facility that serves local families, which includes an urgent care, a surgical center, podiatry, dentistry, an imaging center, recuperative care and more.