Richmond Exhibition Examines How Blacks Shaped Healthcare In Virginia

By Bonnie Newman Davis
BND Institute of Media and Culture
Special to the New Journal and Guide
RICHMOND

A landmark exhibition that chronicles Virginia’s Black hospitals, medical educators, physicians, pharmacists and professional organizations opened Sept. 18, 2024 at the Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia in Richmond, Virginia.

“A Prescription for Change: How Black Voices Shaped Healthcare in Virginia,” was created and curated by Elvatrice Parker Belsches, B.A., B.S. Pharm, M.A., and features powerful vintage photographs, with accompanying text, of 1919 graduates of the Dixie Hospital Training School for Nurses at Hampton Institute (now Hampton University). Also part of the exhibit is a 1915 group photograph that includes members of the Tri-State Dental Society Conference and founding members of Chi Eta Phi Sorority, a national nursing organization, which had a chapter in Richmond.

The exhibition also showcases rare photos of hospitals created by Black professionals and individuals in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Of notable significance are rare artifacts such as the scales and weights used by Dr. David A. Ferguson, D.D.S., the founding father of the National Dental Association and two dental instruments that reportedly belonged to Dr. Peter B. Ramsey, who began practicing dentistry in the 1880s. There are medical instruments and cabinets from The Claytor Clinic in Roanoke, Virginia. This clinic is believed to be the first multi-specialty clinic in Southwest Virginia that was founded and staffed by Black medical practitioners when it opened in 1948.

The exhibition is divided into eight sections:  The Early Years; Education; Physicians, Optometrists and Chiropractors; Dentists; Pharmacy; Nurses, Midwifery and Doulas; The Black Hospital Movement; and Organizations.

Included in the exhibit are works by 14 artists, exploring physical, emotional, psychological, and historical aspects of healthcare disparities faced by Black patients. Participating artists include P. Muzi Branch, S. Ross Browne, Unicia Buster, Kyle Epps, A. Yhayha Hargrove, Barbara Hobson, William E. Johnson, Jowarnise, David Marion, Amiri Richardson Keys, Jay Sharp, Jeff Taylor, Sir James Thornhill, Dennis Winston, and Vashti Woods. 

Each artist brings a unique perspective to this critical dialogue, creating a multifaceted narrative that challenges viewers to confront uncomfortable truths and envision a more equitable future in healthcare.

The Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia, is located at122 W. Leigh St., Richmond, Virginia 23219. The exhibit continues through March 15, 2025.