Video
The City of St. Jude
Transcript
Intro
Back when the south was separated by deadly lines of racial hatred, there was a beacon of light where the impoverished could get medical care, education, and rally for their basic human
rights...
This is the story of the City of St. Jude.
Founded in 1934 by Father Harold Purcell when segregation was the norm, the City of St. Jude was the first Catholic Parish built for African American's in Alabama's capital, Montgomery.
Purcell's dream was to create a "center for the religious, charitable, educational and economic advancement for all people."
He started building the 36-acre campus in 1938 with a church, school, and social center. He remodeled the school in 1947 and opened a hospital in 1951.
St. Jude Catholic Hospital was the first integrated medical facility in the southeast that served anyone regardless of their color.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s first two children Yolanda Bernice King and Martin Luther King, III were born there. Dr. King and other marchers were even treated for foot injuries after the 54 mile walk from Selma to Montgomery. The hospital staff tried to save Viola Liuzzo the Detroit, MI homemaker who was fatally shot by Klansmen while driving marchers back to Selma, AL after the march.
- When the fight for voting rights in Alabama led to the Selma to Montgomery March, The City of St. Jude welcomed the activists.
On March 24th, 1965, 2000-thousand people camped on its athletic field and attended the "Stars of Freedom Rally."
The rally celebrated marchers who finished the last leg of the journey to Alabama's state capitol. Organized by internationally known activist and actor Harry Belafonte, the event featured performances from dozens of celebrities and entertainers including Sammy Davis Junior, Mahalia Jackson, Johnnie Mathis, Lena Horn, Tony Bennett, Nina Simone, Peter, Paul and Mary, and many others, along with speeches from civil rights leaders.
The City of Saint Jude etched its place in history, as a refuge for African Americans however, the hospital closed in 1985 and the school closed on May 7, 2014. Its historic role has been given national prominence and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. To learn more about the City of St. Jude and its role in civil rights, visit:
Description
The City of St. Jude was the fourth campsite of the Selma to Montgomery March, but it's role in the lives of African Americans during the time period of the Jim Crow South was much more. It was a safe place for African Americans to seek medical care, and attend school. On March 24, 1965, thousands of marchers gathered at St. Jude to celebrate the march and re-charge in preparation for the last 4 miles of the march to the Capitol the following day.
Duration
3 minutes, 43 seconds
Credit
Park Ranger Trini Moye and Park Guide Carrie Lykins
Date Created
04/12/2012
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