ATLANTA (AP) – By the time bankruptcy closed the doors of Southwest Hospital and Medical Center three months ago, it had long been abandoned by its black doctors and patients. But four decades ago, the hospital opened as a source of pride for a black community whose doctors could serve nowhere else and whose patients could be treated nowhere else, a pride some community leaders are using as the catalyst for saving one of the country’s few black-owned medical facilities. Johnnie Clark, who chairs the nonprofit hospital’s board of trustees, reminded a group recently that this was their hospital. “What you must do is step up and claim it,” Clark said. Since January, many in the community have answered the call, directed especially at younger black doctors, like Michael Smith, who trained at Southwest before moving on to richer hospitals. “We felt some personal shame,” Smith, an Atlanta heart and lung surgeon, told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “This is our hospital. Before, it was an orphan. Now everybody wants to adopt it.” The Atlanta Medical Association, one of the largest black physicians groups in the country, encouraged a group of about 30 doctors to try to buy the hospital. They plan to enter a bid Wednesday to purchase and rebuild Southwest, and say they will get help from an unnamed investment group. The doctors face a daunting task. Southwest’s mission, to help those who cannot afford health care, is what forced the hospital to close Jan. 8. Unable to attract paying customers or serve those who could not pay, Southwest declared bankruptcy in September. It was the last of three hospitals operated by black people in Atlanta. To be successful, the doctors must find patients who have medical insurance. A $25 million debt must be repaid, and building a new, state-of-the-art facility would be expensive. Their goals will not happen without the community’s help, experts say. Last week, more than 1,000 people turned out at a neighborhood meeting to reopen Southwest, including Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin and state Attorney General Thurbert Baker. Baseball legend Hank Aaron has been appointed head of a committee to promote Southwest. Clark hopes the community’s support will turn into dollars for the black institution. “It’s one thing to say I support the hospital,” she said. “It’s another to go and use it.”
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Still Black And Still Proud
James Brown's song "Say It Loud – I'm Black and I'm Proud" has emerged as a defining anthem of the Black Power movement, promoting messages of Black pride and resilience. Concurrently, Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski has publicly opposed President Trump's intimidation tactics, highlighting the fear and political retaliation faced by those who challenge his authority. Furthermore, the legacy of Blanche Bruce serves as a poignant reminder of the significance of Black history and the enduring philosophy of "pull yourself up by your bootstraps," advocating for the removal of systemic barriers to achieve equity.
