Dr. Roscoe Conklin Harrison

Dr. Roscoe Conklin Harrison. . , Dr. Roscoe Conklin Harrison was born on February 19, 1880, in Raleigh N.C. , When he was about 17 years old, he went to the coal fields of West Virginia, where the wages were attractive. He was viewed as hardworking and industrious and worked in the coal mines between school to earn money for college. As soon as he was able, he entered the Bluefield Colored Institute for his preparatory work. His ambition for learning was obvious to all that met him, and he was recognized by many as a genius. Upon the completion of his course at Bluefield, he enrolled at Meharry Medical School to study medicine. , Before he officially graduated from Meharry, he had displayed such wonderful ability as a physician and surgeon that he was given license to practice medicine in the state. He was always hungry for more knowledge and set a goal for himself to read over 100 pages of medical and related information each day. He followed this goal religiously until he died. , In 1904, he returned to Kimball, West Virginia, where he established a lucrative medical practice to treat African American coal miners and their families. In 1911, Harrison opened the first privately owned black hospital in the state of West Virginia known as Harrison Memorial Hospital. , Seven African American doctors from the area joined his staff and over 300 major operations were performed in the hospital’s first 18 months. In 1915, with the help of the Alpha Hospital Charity Commission, Dr. Harrison raised $5,000 to expand to a 20-bed hospital. Half the beds were designed for the poor, working class African Americans who received free care. , Between 1917-1918, Dr. Harrison was appointed by Governor John Cornwell to be the Examining Physician on both draft Boards for the state of West Virginia. , Dr. Harrison passed away on November 21, 1923. Following his death, Dr. Henry Dodford Dismukes, a fellow African American physician, was appointed to be the head physician of Harrison Memorial Hospital. , At Harrison’s funeral, Rev. Richard Johnson, the pastor of Ebenezer Presbyterian Church, said in part, “God and Nature strove to do their best in the creation of Dr. Harrison and his accomplishments prove that neither God nor nature had failed and that words will be a hollow mockery unless those of the medical profession carry on the work at the institution started and built by Harrison. A truly great heart belongs to no race but instead belongs to all mankind. Born not to die but created for the infinite. Nations of the world came for his healing touch and none left unbenefitted.”