MILWAUKEE — Life for a young Black antheral calved successful the southbound successful 1924 was acold from easy. It was a clip of radical hatred and discrimination, but Dr. William Finlayson ever had his caput acceptable connected succeeding contempt the odds. This is the communicative of a man.
Born successful Florida, Dr. Finlayson grew up the lad of a salient Baptist preacher.
Even astatine an aboriginal age, helium was brushing shoulders with greatness. He was household friends with Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune who went connected to recovered what's present Bethune Cookman College successful Daytona Beach, Florida.
"She was the archetypal Black successful the cabinet, she was successful the furniture of Roosevelt," said Dr. Finlayson.
Long earlier making Milwaukee history, helium was lectured successful simple schoolhouse by 1 of America's top inventors and scientists, George Washington Carver. At the property of 16, helium started his assemblage vocation astatine Florida A&M, wherever his 2 older sisters were students.
"My begetter present had 3 kids successful college. My elder who is present 102 lives with me."
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While astatine FAMU, helium pledged to Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. an enactment that has continued to play a immense relation successful his life. Dr. Finlayson spent 2 years astatine FAMU and past served 2 years arsenic a First Lt. successful the Army.
"When I archetypal went into the service, I taught illiterates however to work and constitute up to the 6th grade," recalled Dr. Finlayson.
After the military, helium moved to Atlanta to be Morehouse College arsenic a Business major.
"In the midst of my concern experience, I said this isn't for me. I was forced to marque a transportation to get a large present successful pre-med."
That's wherever helium became classmates with the precocious large Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who besides became his fraternity brother. During the civilian rights era, Dr. Finlayson invited him to Milwaukee to speak.
Dr. Finlayson graduated from Morehouse successful 1948 and got his Medical Degree from Meharry Medical College successful 1953. The 155 aesculapian schools successful beingness astatine the crook of the period did not let African Americans to attend. Meharry continues to postgraduate 15% of each Black physicians successful the 21st century.
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"To solidify it, I decided different twelvemonth somewhere, truthful I heard astir the University of Minnesota and a Fellowship." Dr Finlayson was good connected his mode to "delivering" large change.
In 1958, Dr. Finlayson had the prime to unrecorded successful Chicago, Atlanta, oregon Milwaukee. Luckily, helium chose Milwaukee.
"I'd heard astir a radical of guys who wanted to signifier a clinic," said Dr. Finlayson.
Those guys were Dr. Walter White, Dr. Randall Pollard, Dr. George Hillard, Urologist Dr. Gerald Poindexter and of people Dr. Finlayson. They started their signifier connected 5th and North, which is present the Greater Milwaukee Urban League. He aboriginal opened a signifier connected 20th and Capitol, which present houses WNOV Radio.
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"I was there, and I had built a large practice. People would beryllium connected the steps to travel spot me," said Dr. Finlayson.
He yet sold his signifier erstwhile helium decided to retire. Over 39 years helium delivered astir 10,000 babies, but Dr. Finlayson's contributions to the assemblage didn't halt there. He besides co-founded North Milwaukee State Bank successful 1971 and served arsenic Chairman of the Board for 26 of the implicit 40 years of the bank's existence.
"It did precise good until the competitors kinda bushed america out."
Dr. Finlayson broke galore barriers arsenic an African American. He became the archetypal Black OB-GYN to signifier successful a Milwaukee infirmary (St. Joseph's). He adjacent invested successful the Jewel Grocery Store that stood astatine 20th and Walnut.
"That's been the sanction of the game, I've tolerated this and successful spite of that I became progressive successful the community, I became President of the OB-GYN Honor Society," said Dr. Finlayson.
Dr. Finlayson and his precocious woman Edith had 3 children and they were so a powerfulness couple. She was besides a assemblage person and the archetypal African American to service connected the University of Wisconsin Board of Regents.
"She got an honorary doctorate degree, and she became connected the Board of Regents."
The mates had a fewer peculiar houseguests implicit the years arsenic well... Muhammad Ali, Alex Haley, and adjacent Eartha Kitt.
"Yeah, Eartha Kitt's been here, she's been successful my refrigerator," joked Dr. Finlayson.
The Brothers of Alpha Phi Alpha on with a fewer section pastors are presently moving to get a thoroughfare named successful Dr. Finlayson's honor.
Andre Ash is simply a subordinate of the fraternity.
"He's been a pillar of this assemblage for galore years, helium was instrumental successful bringing Dr. King present and I jokingly said to him, 'Well Doc, with each the things you've done successful our community, present successful Milwaukee, possibly we should erect a statue oregon possibly person a thoroughfare named aft you'", said Ash.
Dr. Finlayson was a subordinate of the Milwaukee Medical Society and served arsenic a location delegate to the Wisconsin Medical Society. He besides taught astatine the Medical College of Wisconsin and the University of Wisconsin Medical School.
He is simply a past president of the Milwaukee Gynecological Society and served connected the Board of Directors of the Southeastern Wisconsin Health System Agency. He is besides a erstwhile president of his section YMCA committee and a beingness subordinate of the NAACP.
His work to this assemblage has surely paved the mode for many. Dr. Finlayson shared a connection for the younger generation:
"I deliberation the cardinal is learning. Learn arsenic overmuch arsenic you can, bash arsenic overmuch arsenic you can!"
English (US)