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DR. LEWIS AND THE LEWIS SANATORIUM

Program
Illinois State Historical Society
Subject
People
Location
385 Walnut Grove Rd, Harrisburg, IL 62946, USA
Lat/Long
37.7402, -88.5368
Grant Recipient
Illinois State Historical Society
Historic Marker

DR. LEWIS AND THE LEWIS SANATORIUM

Inscription

DR. LEWIS AND THE LEWIS SANATORIUM

PIONEERING BLACK PHYSICIAN JAMES HENRY LEWIS (1888–1963) WAS BORN IN NORTH CAROLINA. BECAUSE OF LIMITED EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE TO BLACK STUDENTS AT THE TIME AND PLACE, HE MOVED TO ILLINOIS, WHERE HE WORKED TO PUT HIMSELF THROUGH BOTH WHEATON ACADEMY AND WHEATON COLLEGE. AFTER GRADUATION FROM MEHARRY MEDICAL COLLEGE IN NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE, AND AN INTERNSHIP AT CITY HOSPITAL IN ST. LOUIS, DR. LEWIS LEARNED OF THE NEED FOR A BLACK PHYSICIAN IN HARRISBURG, THEN THE LARGEST CITY IN SOUTHEASTERN ILLINOIS. HE MOVED TO HARRISBURG IN 1923 AND, OWING TO THE NEED FOR A HOSPITAL TO TREAT BLACK PATIENTS IN THAT SEGREGATED ERA IN 1927, HE OPENED HIS OWN HOSPITAL – THE LEWIS SANATORIUM AT 407 EAST WALNUT STREET. THERE THE DOCTOR WELCOMED ALL PATIENTS WITHOUT REGARD TO RACE, DOCTOR LEWIS WAS HIGHLY RESPECTED IN THE COMMUNITY, AND LEWIS STREET IN HARRISBURG WAS NAMED IN HONOR.

SPONSORED BY

SALINE COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY, THE WILLIAM G. POMEROY
FOUNDATION, AND THE ILLINOIS STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
SEPTEMBER 2021.