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🏥📜 After Nearly 30 Years, Charlotte Finally Honors Good Samaritan Hospital ✊🏾✨!
From a 1996 Petition to a 2026 Dedication—A Historic Victory for Preservation and Black History
On Thursday, May 28, 2026, community leaders, historians, descendants, supporters, and elected officials gathered at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, to dedicate a long-awaited North Carolina Highway Historical Marker honoring the legacy of Good Samaritan Hospital. Opened in 1891, Good Samaritan Hospital served Charlotte's Black community during the era of segregation and operated a respected School of Nursing from 1903 to 1959 before ceasing independent operations in 1961. The ceremony celebrated not only the institution's historic contributions to healthcare and education but also the perseverance of those who worked tirelessly to ensure its story would be permanently recognized and preserved for future generations. The marker was later installed that same day near Bank of America Stadium along Morehead Street, close to the hospital's original location, where residents and visitors alike can learn about this important chapter in Charlotte's Black history.
The dedication also marked the successful conclusion of a nearly 30-year effort to secure official state recognition for Good Samaritan Hospital. The journey began in 1996 when local historian and tour operator Mr. Juan D. "Jay" Whipple (founder/director of Queen City Tours®) first petitioned for a historical marker honoring the institution's legacy. Although that initial effort was unsuccessful, the cause was revived through the leadership of Dr. Alvin C. Powell, founder of the NC Highway Marker Equity Initiative, who submitted a successful appeal in 2025. The image above captures a symbolic moment following the dedication ceremony, with Whipple (left) and Dr. Powell (right) standing beside the newly unveiled marker, representing three decades of persistence, advocacy, and historical preservation. Their shared achievement ensures that the story of Good Samaritan Hospital—and the patients, nurses, physicians, and community members it served—will remain an enduring part of Charlotte's historical landscape for generations to come. 📜🏥✊🏾🌟
For additional historical context, view this documentary excerpt narrated by the late, award-winning journalist Steve Crump, and view a 10 minute Re-Cap of the Dedication Ceremony on Thursday May 28, 2026:
The dedication also marked the successful conclusion of a nearly 30-year effort to secure official state recognition for Good Samaritan Hospital. The journey began in 1996 when local historian and tour operator Mr. Juan D. "Jay" Whipple (founder/director of Queen City Tours®) first petitioned for a historical marker honoring the institution's legacy. Although that initial effort was unsuccessful, the cause was revived through the leadership of Dr. Alvin C. Powell, founder of the NC Highway Marker Equity Initiative, who submitted a successful appeal in 2025. The image above captures a symbolic moment following the dedication ceremony, with Whipple (left) and Dr. Powell (right) standing beside the newly unveiled marker, representing three decades of persistence, advocacy, and historical preservation. Their shared achievement ensures that the story of Good Samaritan Hospital—and the patients, nurses, physicians, and community members it served—will remain an enduring part of Charlotte's historical landscape for generations to come. 📜🏥✊🏾🌟
For additional historical context, view this documentary excerpt narrated by the late, award-winning journalist Steve Crump, and view a 10 minute Re-Cap of the Dedication Ceremony on Thursday May 28, 2026:
