Document text
NEDIRAL WRITSHOs PROM?
Kiami„ Florida
2,400 Words
Fetruart 20, 1939
Albert J. Kershan(ftro)
1429 349•93141 AVe.
Wiami, acrid&
Monet
Weirs I. Burnell,
triter
mann J. maw, Jr. N.D.
(NOMP)
In the **nested business district of Miami's "Ootored Town*
there dwells Dr. Albert J. Kershaw, an outstanding physician who
is seeking neither riches nor publioitn but who devotes his tins
and energy to the welfare and uplift of his race. His main inter.
set is in the nation's fight against tuberculosis. He is in charge
of the anti.tuberoulosis work in the schools for Negroes and does
a great deal of charity work oonnected with his interest in the
battle against T. N.
Dr. Kershaw's office is at 1429 Nor. 3rd Avenue. Between two
stores occupied by Jewish people, a wooden stairway leads to the
second floor of the building. At the head of the stairway, to ths
left, I observe an open door leading to aroma stitch appears to
be a waiting room. A tall bleak Negro is busy dusting about the
waiting room.
'Is this Dr. Kershaw's office' I.aok.
"Yastn, have a seat, please,* the man replies, politely.
dootah just went out rot breakfast a few minutes agog but. he's sm.
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pestle rah." I sit down in the waiting roes.
After a few minutes the man carofully looks a door of grilled
iron work which leads to the dootoris private afloat and leaves
the roomy walking down a long eerrider which leads to the rear of
the building.
As I wait I observe my sumundings.. Directly morose the hall
is an open door of what appears to be another apartment. A Novo
is standing in front of a mirror shaving.
The furnishings of the room in otioh I am *Min consist of
a small dark oak table (which stands against a wall) with rooker
and arm chair to matoh. The seats of the chairs are severed dark
brown leather. An empty hat reek stands in a (tomer. Four plain
wooden chairs are plasm' against a wall. Them is worn blue and
white cheek linoleum on the floor that shows signs of recent swab..
bing. On the table are Hemlines and a thick memo pad with plum
oil tied to a pleoe of bleak string. Althe not ilaboratelY tar-
nished, the room is very Glean. Hanging on the well Jest shove
the table, are two framed diplomas belonging to Albert Julio Ker.
@haw, Jr, The diploma on the left reads sUniversitis Waldensise
and is printed in Latin. The one on the right reads 'Faculty and
Graduates 1.907 Maury Medical Dental and Pharmaeoutioal Dollops
of Walden University. Picture; of tho oleos are also on this do.
oument.
A door of solid wood leads to another roost. The door is open
and I observe the furnishings of this room its about the same as
the average dootorts examining soom**oxamination table, cabinet
with glass doors contains instruments, as elan bottle* of medi
eine, and doctor's equipment; a scale stands in.s corner; an oleo*
trio drop*light is mar table. The floor is bare.
Between the waiting room and the doctor's office is a divided
partition; the lower half is finished wlth solid wood; the upper
half is made of diagonal iron grill work; a door leading to the
*Mos is made entirely of iron grill work. A hanging look is on
this door.
The office has two large windows, *Loh have shades but as
curtains. The shafts are not drawn. The furnishings consist of
a roll-top Nook and swivel chair. The desk, whisk stands against
a will to the right, is littered with papers and letters. On the
top of it are some books and also several photographs. Two of
these are of fine looking young Nsgroes in their. apts. In the
center is a photograph of an elderly Negro woman in a gold frame.
On the other side of the room is a book ease lined with books;
small table contains an electric fan. A medicine table is well
filled with bottles. Near the desk is a telephone table contain*
tag a phone and book. An arm ohair somewhat like the one in the
waiting room stands near to the desk and tacos the window..
Adjoining the office, to the right, an open door loads to a
bid -zoos. A neatly made mahogany bed with clean white spread is
visible, mahogany dresser and *hair to =tab, and a window with
a freshly starched white curtain can be seen.
Alidiin a short time I hear the sound of foot -steps coming
up the stairs and Vs. Kershaw enters the waiting room,. Having
made an appointment by phone the previous day, he is expeeting me.
'Good morning,' he says pleasantly. 'Sorry to keep you wait-
ing, come right in my office.' He unlocks the door betsimen the
two rooms and motions to an arm chair saying, 'Have a chair.' He
sits down in the ssivel chair at his desk, facing is as we talk.
Dr. Kershaw is a fins locking Negro, well mannered and very
pleasant; tall and stout, a picture of good health. His bats is
partly gray; his features are not'negrold in type. His fee* is
stout and the color of a mulatto. He is in his 504, but looks
younger. Immaculately dressed in a whits pals boaoh suit, colored
handkerchief in coat pocket, tan silk shirt with small embroidered
figures in red and stilt* silk; red tie with diamond stick pin;
white shoes and grey and white soaks. He is wearing a hem gold
signet ring on the third finger of his left hand.
'My paramount interest lies in the fight against tuberculosis.
have wawa physicians who work with me and I supervise the
tuberculin tests, which are administered Vy the nurses. Zash (Mild
in the schools is tested, and whOSO there is an infection, treat.
mint is given, parents are advised, and instruatod. All oases
are followed closely. I also do a great deal of charity' work so..
song my T. 11, patients. The lack of food among the colored people
is appalling. I also conduct an ambulatory clinic. 09% of wf
patients are not ablo to pay the fees but none of them are re.
fused treatment. Altho I am late in getting into the field, I
can see a maskod dooms* in the disease.'
Dr. Kershaw., anti...tuberoulosis walk is well organised. Al-
tho it has never been given mmeh publidity„ thcwork is being
steadily (tarried on by him and his professional helpers, who are
using their influence as well as their knowledge to overcome the
conditions that have weakened the physical constitutions of the
residents of colored town. There is a co-operative work going on
among fifteen medical men, both physiolans and dentists, and they
have small hospital of their own in addition to the colored
ward at the City Hospital. Ho speaks with much appreeiation of
the co-operation of the Dade County Medical Association, in its
organised work for Negro physicians, and says that every modioal
.man in colored town is making the most of the opportunity to take
the modern 'mums offered by the medical association.
'Negro doctors and dentists should be allowed to poetise
regardless of race, and I see no reason why any white woman should
hesitate to oall a colored doctor or patronise a colored dentist.
'I believe that eventually -there will be no colored ram,. for
.e.
the worli'm history shows :that all submerged or minority races
have finally been absorbed by their stronger surrounding neigh.
bors, and I_ believe that the white and colored rains in the United
States will merge into one "American" rase," Asked about the
Indians, he thinks they, too, will be absorbed. *Dut it won't be
for hundreds of years, and none of us will live to see it,' he
ays
He is particularly interested in obildren, and from the day
of his arrival in Miami has been a: devoted friend of the oolored
schools. *Athletic work interests as isitanselys At the Booker
T. Washington school, I organised the athlttio work, acted as
ooaoh of the ball teams and generally supervised all *thistles.
At the present times I am medical adviser and part time financier.
I just received a letter from a high official commending WI work,
along lama lines,' points to an opened letter lying on his desk.
oonsider that &thistles wakes a student self-reliant, teaches
him to give and take, to develop self.sontrol and temps:anal.'
He ,has a kindly mkt with the girls and boys and they show plainly
that they oonsidir his their friend.
The sanitary sonditions of colored to have engaged mush of
Dr. Kershaw's attention. He is a right hand helper of the faculty
of the schools and takes a keen interest in the °lasses Where girls
are learning the home arts and domestio science. That the mothers
of the future become good home makers is most essential to the
welfare of the rase.
nou would like to hear a little about or family historY14
he asks as he took a cigar out of his pocket and smoked leisurely.
*Well, my ancestors were slaves of the Xershaw family for whom
the county of Kershaw, South Carolina was named. *1 father used
to speak of our ancestors and how moat of their time was spent
picking ootton. At the time of emaniiipation, my parents lived in
west florid*. They were born in Jefferson 'County and,also were
married there. They had three sons and two daughters all of whom
are graduates of the A X University.
#1183, father was the first student of the A X in Tallahassee
and was a member of the first football and base bell ,teams. That
was in the 80*s. He was very proud of the fact that his brothers
and sisters, sons and daughters and grandchildren 'ere graduates
of his Alma Ulster. He always was a good student, did a great
deal of writing, especially artinles for magazines; he also did
some farming. He became a Methodist preacher and travelled in
many parts of Carolina, Georgia and .Florida. He died in 1917.
*My mother is still living. This is a, pietnye of hays he
says as he tab's the gold framed picture from the top of his (task
and hands it to me. *the is 77 years old and lives in Tallahassee‘
*Those pictures are of Wf sons,* he proudly points to two
blow photographs. have two sons and a daughter. all grad-
uates of the A a K. WI sons were not interested in the medical
profession they studied the liberal arts.
.s.
114. wife wets born in Florida also; we wars married in JO—
ferson nounty. The teaches at the A M at Tallahassee now; she
50 years old.
"ION, I chose the medical profession? While a 'WM boy I
oame under the influence of an elderly physician and I greatly ad-
mired this man. He encouraged me in my desire to study modtolnO.
My father also was pleased, Weans* he felt that it would be an
avenue of helpfulness to our race. Me helped me with my expenses
in college to a certain extent, then too, I worked at different
jots during the summer. In those dikvo it use muoll easier for a
medical student to waft his way through college than it is today
and oost much less too. Roughly speaking, a college course
cost about 11,500 tuition in those days it it.00uldn't be done
for that amount today.
first practiced medicine in West Florida; Suwon** °county.
I cams to Miami 15 years ago, because there was a more fertile
field for service among my people; also the financial inducement,
there being better prospects in Miami for a man in the medical
profession.
Regarding the sohnols, ay frank opinion is that the schools
of the south cannot compare with the schools of the north and the
same applies to the colleges. I believe in calling a spade a
spade," he continues emphatically as he puts down his cigar and
goes into great length on the sutdect„ motioning with his handis.
'The reason for this *Gantt= is the lack of funds here in the
south and I believe that Stole San should appropriate tundi for
education. Farts of the west, also, should have assistance with
their schools. It is a well knownlact that the endowment funds
.of Yale, Harvard and Cornell equal or expel the total funds of all
the colleges in the south put together. Among the list of names
of the 15 oolleges given the highest rating in the United States,
not one of these is a college of the south; it lust can't be done
with the funds they have bore. I believe the ohlldron of the
South should be given the same opportunity to obtain a high 'dumb.,
tion as the children of the north.
mx courses' he continues, as of the opinion Miami High
is a fine school, but it cannot compare with the High Sehools of
the North and I say the same for the grade schools.
'Polities? Yes, they interest me a great deal and I always
vote. I keep up with politios thru reading and other sources, Re—
garding the mess we have at City Hall, I think the mayor and two
of his city commissioners should be ousted.
I
'Methodist is If riation._ I contribute towards the support
of the Methodist church which I attend. I should go more regular
the. I believe overyotie should go td some church because religion
has a good influenee on the morals of the people. It helps them
to lead the right kind of life.
II spend most of my spare time tooling. I enjoy hall games
of all kinds, also borlog. OseasitelattY I de to the movies. I
never tire of my work, but I am a firm believer that we all mod
a oortain amount of relaxation.
The question of list is, of °ours', a very important matter.
The lag* of money for the proper food is the root of the trouble
among my people. They are instrueted as to proper feed, but it
is diffioult for them to live up to those instruotions 'bon their
funds are so limited. t do not bolievo 'maple should own a oar
when they haven't proper food and ghettos. In ly opinion shelter
oomes first, food next, and oar last.
'Sons day, when I am of no further use to NI people hero, I
an looking forward to having a posy home in the ocuntry
haps a farm too. ails I can be of service to my sae., ro.
main right hero with thou. At prosont„ due to my activity in my
profusion, I find it wastleal to live right here in tte city,
altho it would be more to my taste to have a little home in the
suburbs to go to after my days work is ever, However, I have had
these room@ renovated to suit as for office and living quarters
oolbinOd and it daft; very well for the present. I have some pro-
perty hero in this 'motion, which rent out. The income from
this 'nobles as to do muoh charity work and helps with my T. B.
interest.'
I thank Dr. Kershaw for his co-operation and prepare to take
111111ffe.
at any tine you eare'to visit the schools and see our
anti.lubereulin work in aotion sill be glad to have you do so,'
he sore ora wo walk to the door.
01 nay take advantage of the opportunity within the near future,
Dootor Kershaw, and thanks so ouches I sopty-amormilAtilmay,