Dr. Dorothy Brown

This residence hall is named for Dorothy Brown, whose trailblazing work in medicine and politics had a lasting impact on Meharry and Nashville. Dorothy Brown was a woman of many firsts. Born in 1919, Brown was raised in an orphanage in New York. Against all odds, she graduated first in her high school class and was awarded a scholarship to Benton College in North Carolina. In 1944, Brown enrolled in Meharry Medical College, and following graduation she joined the staff of a New York hospital. Brown returned to Meharry’s surgical program and became the first African American female surgeon in the South. In 1955, she became Assistant Professor of Surgery and was the first Black woman to be made Fellow of the American College of Surgeons.

Dr. Brown was appointed Chief of Surgery at Nashville’s Riverside Hospital in 1957 and held the position until the hospital closed in 1983. In addition to her medical career, Brown was elected to the Tennessee House of Representatives in 1966, making her the first Black woman to be a legislator in the state. She helped pass the Negro History Act, which required public schools to hold programming celebrating African American history. This later evolved into Black History Month. To honor her many “firsts,” Dorothy Brown Hall was dedicated to Dr. Brown in 1970.

Congratulations! You have completed the Fisk and Meharry Tour on Nashville Sites. On your way out, consider driving past the historic Clark Memorial United Methodist Church on the corner of 14th and Phillips Street. The historical marker in front of the church was dedicated in honor of Fisk alum Matthew Walker Jr. His father, a Meharry alum and surgeon, has his own historical marker at 14th and Jefferson! 

We hope you’ve enjoyed learning about the people, places, and events that have made Fisk University and Meharry Medical College two of the greatest HBCUs in the nation. From the New South Era to Civil Rights to today’s New Nashville, we continue to honor the role of these two schools in Nashville’s history. Be sure to follow @NashvilleSites on social media and consider clicking the “Donate” button at the top to make a small donation. With over 25 tours, spread the word and visit us again soon!