Climbing the Ladder, Chasing the Dream: The History of Homer G. Phillips Hospital

In "Climbing the Ladder, Chasing the Dream: The History of Homer G. Phillips Hospital," author Candace O’Connor masterfully recounts the pivotal role of this iconic institution in serving St. Louis’s African-American community during a time of deep-seated segregation and racial prejudice. Opened in 1937, Homer G. Phillips Hospital became a beacon of hope and a symbol of black empowerment, offering unparalleled medical training and services to a demographic systematically denied equal healthcare access. Through a blend of meticulous research, including contemporary newspaper articles, institutional records, and personal interviews with former staff, O’Connor not only charts the hospital’s rise and unfortunate closure in 1979 but also revives the legacy of its namesake, Homer G. Phillips. A pioneering black attorney and civil rights activist, Phillips’s life and mysterious unsolved murder add layers of intrigue and inspiration. This book, published on February 21, 2022, is essential reading for those in adult education programs, providing a comprehensive look at racial justice and health equity, challenging readers to reflect on past injustices and the ongoing quest for equality in healthcare.