Candace O’Connor
Updated with event recording.
https://youtu.be/8urOPftSoSI
This public health lecture seri es is named in honor of the historic Homer G. Phillips Hospital in St. Loui s\, the premier training ground for African American medical professionals. Although it closed its doors on August 17\, 1979\, we can learn much from the hospital’s history\, presented by the very people who worked diligently to provide culturally sensitive care to the patients who so deeply trusted and loved them. Due to the pandemic\, this year’s lecture will be virtual.
Candace O’Connor
Candace O’Connor is an award-winning\, freelance writer and editor. She specializes in historical and medical writing and is the author of 13 books on Midwest history. For more than three decades\, her magazine and newspap er stories have appeared in local and national publications. Her recent boo k projects include: A Legacy of Caring: The History of Barnes-Jewish Hospit al (2017)\; Renaissance: A History of the Central West End (2017)\; histori es of the departments of neurology\, surgery\, and radiology at the Washing ton University School of Medicine (WUSM)\; a history of St. Louis Children’ s Hospital called Hope and Healing: St. Louis Children’s Hospital\, The Fir st 125 Years (2006)\; a history of Washington University in St. Louis title d Beginning a Great Work: Washington University\, 1853-2003 (2004)\; and A Song of Faith and Hope: The Life of Frankie Muse Freeman (2003).
In 2 021\, she completed a new book project\, Climbing the Ladder\, Chasing the Dream: The History of Homer G. Phillips Hospital (University of Missouri Pr ess\, 2021)\, which traces the history of the only public African-American hospital in St. Louis. Using the voices of former nurses and physicians\, a long with in-depth research\, she describes the life of the hospital known as “Homer G.\,” which opened in a gala 1937 dedication and closed amid bitt er controversy in 1979.
Currently\, she is starting work on two new b ooks: a history of the WUSM Department of Pathology\; and a history of Rile y Children’s Hospital in Indianapolis. Other recent projects include a hist ory of lake where she and her husband have vacationed: A Gem of the Adirond acks\, Garnet Lake.
She grew up in Rochester\, New York and graduated from Cornell University. Today\, in her volunteer time\, she enjoys tutori ng young students and working with newly released ex-offenders. She and her husband\, a retired dean from Washington University\, live in St. Louis. T hey have two daughters and four grandchildren.
Helen Nash\, MD
Helen Elizabeth Nas h broke down racial barriers when she became the first African-American doc tor to join the staff of St. Louis Children’s Hospital in 1949. She was bor n in Atlanta\, the third of six children. A 1942 graduate of Spelman Colleg e with high honors\, Nash graduated from Meharry Medical College in Nashvil le in 1945. Her father\, who received his medical degree from Meharry in 19 10\, was initially resistant to his daughter studying medicine. However\, o nce Helen made the honor roll her first semester\, he accepted and supporte d her career choice. Despite harsh discrimination against black Americans a nd women in medicine\, she was determined to become a physician\, and her u pbringing and education had given her the self-confidence she would need to succeed.
Internships and residency opportunities were limited for no n-white medical school graduates at that time. Homer G. Philips Hospital\, opened in 1937 as a segregated hospital\, was the only hospital in St. Loui s offering learning opportunities and clinical experience to African-Americ an doctors. Nash began a rotating internship there in 1945\, working on twe lve services in one year. A three-year residency in pediatrics followed. In 1949 she was the only woman among the first four African-American physicia ns invited to join the staff of the Washington University School of Medicin e. As a pediatrician\, Nash became a member of the house staff of St. Louis Children’s Hospital.
Nash served for over 40 years on the clinical f aculty of Washington University School of Medicine and on the attending sta ff at St. Louis Children’s Hospital. At the same time\, she maintained a th riving private practice. In addition\, she served as pediatric supervisor a nd associate director of Pediatrics at Homer G. Phillips Hospital from 1950 to 1964. Nash served as president of the St. Louis Children’s Hospital att ending staff from 1977 to 1979. Nash was long recognized in the St. Louis c ommunity for her commitment to excellence\, tireless advocacy on behalf of children\, and endless enthusiasm for the field of medicine. Nash is best k nown for her work as an advocate for children. By visiting “preemie” units in other hospitals around the country\, she developed a designated ward for premature infants that was cleaner and included air conditioning and indiv idual bassinets\, and provided improved training for nursing staff.
I n 1993 Nash retired as professor emeritus (clinical) of Pediatrics. After h er retirement\, Nash served as the medical school’s dean of Minority Affair s from 1994 to 1996. Since 1996\, the Washington University School of Medic ine has bestowed the Dr. Helen E. Nash Academic Achievement Award to a stud ent who has exhibited to an unusual degree the qualities of industry\, pers everance\, determination\, and enthusiasm. She has also worked actively wit h the Health and Welfare Council of Metropolitan St. Louis and was a fellow of the Academy of Science of St. Louis. She was a trustee of Spelman Colle ge\, the St. Louis Symphony and of the Missouri Botanical Gardens. In 1992\ , she also received two honorary degrees: a doctor of humane letters from W ebster University\, and a doctor of humane letters from the University of M issouri in St. Louis.
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For questions\, please contac t Liz Riggs at eriggs@wustl.edu or (3 14) 362-6854.
Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to attend all Washington University School of Medicine sponsored events. If you are a person with a disability who requires a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in this event\, please contact the Washington University Sc hool of Medicine Office of Diversity\, Equity and Inclusion a week in advan ce at 314-273-2809 or MedDEI@wustl.edu.
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