Whittier Cinclair Atkinson (April 23, 1893 – January 2, 1991) was an American general practitioner who founded the Clement Atkinson Memorial Hospital in Coatesville, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1936 and closed in 1978, the hospital was established to meet the medical needs of African American community members who faced racial discrimination at other area hospitals.[1][2]
Whittier Cinclair Atkinson | |
|---|---|
 Atkinson in 1925 | |
| Born | April 23, 1893 Waverly, Georgia, US |
| Died | January 2, 1991 (aged 97) |
| Alma mater | Howard University (BS, MD) |
| Occupation | Physician |
| Known for | Founded the Clement Atkinson Memorial Hospital in 1936 |
A graduate of Howard University College of Medicine, Atkinson became the first Black physician in Chester County in 1927. He served as president of two African American medical associations and received several awards and honors, including Howard University's Alumnus of the Year in 1953 and the Pennsylvania Medical Society's General Practitioner of the Year in 1960.[3]
The Clement Atkinson Memorial Hospital was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2011.[4] The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission erected a historical marker outside the building in Whittier Atkinson's honor in 2007.[5]
References
edit- ^ "Whittier C. Atkinson; Founded Coatesville Hospital for Blacks". The Morning Call. 1991-01-06. p. 10. Retrieved 2022-07-14.
- ^ "The President-Elect". Journal of the National Medical Association. 43 (6): 405. November 1951. PMC 2617034. PMID 20893627.
- ^ "Timeline of Whittier Cinclair Atkinson, MD (1893 - 1991)". W. C. Atkinson Memorial Community Services Center. 2012. Archived from the original on 2021-07-24. Retrieved 2022-07-14.
- ^ "National Register of Historic Places Registration Form: Atkinson, Clement, Memorial Hospital" (PDF). Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. 2011-07-15. Retrieved 2022-07-14.
- ^ Petersen, Nancy (2007-04-14). "Marker Honors Spirit of Hospital's Founder". Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved 2022-07-14.