by Mike Sharkey
Staff Writer
What started out as a press conference to mark the official beginning of the restoration of Brewster Hospital turned into part sermon, part gospel concert, part history lesson and part social commentary.
On a cold but clear Thursday morning, City Council members Glorious Johnson and Warren Jones as well as several former nurses and members of their families gathered at the one-time all-black hospital in LaVilla to mark an important moment.
“When this hospital closed in 1953, Brewster Methodist Hospital was the only private black hospital and nursing hospital, not just in Jacksonville, but the nation,” said Johnson, who was born at Brewster. “Race was not an issue, saving lives was the issue.”
The event was dedicated to Vera Cruse, a longtime nursing educator and president of the Brewster Alumni Community Nurses Association, who died late last year. The building was originally constructed in 1885 and became the city’s first all-black hospital. During the Great Fire of 1901, the hospital treated both blacks and whites. Over the course of the next four decades, Brewster became nationally-known for its training of future African-American nurses. Several members of the Brewster Alumni Community Nurses Association attended Thursday’s event and talked about both the good times and the hardships each faced during the first half of the 20th century.
Several years ago, the City took ownership of the building and in September 2005 moved it to its current location at the corner of Monroe and Davis streets. The design and construction costs are $1.2 million and the funding is coming from three sources: a Historic Preservation grant, funding from LaVilla construction and land sales and the Historic Preservation Trust.
Johnson said she has been told once the project is completed next summer, the City may look for a buyer. Johnson and others are adamantly opposed to selling Brewster to a private entity and intend to make sure the hospital becomes either a museum, a public clinic run by a local hospital or both.
“I urge you to stop any plans to sell,” Johnson told the crowd. “This building has phenomenal historic value. To take it away from the people is not right. This building belongs to the people of Jacksonville.
“You know me, I do not pull the race card, but I am pulling it today. If this building is sold, I will call it a racist act.”
Jones said Johnson’s announcement was certainly news to him. He said it was just a rumor and one he doesn’t put any stock in. Jones said any such sale would have to get Council approval, something he said isn’t going to happen during his time in office.
Jones also said selling didn’t make any sense especially since the City is essentially paying for the renovations and a private owner would want to build-out the interior as they saw fit. He expects, once completed, Brewster will become a museum/clinic as planned.
“Those of us who grew up in LaVilla understand the significance of Brewster Hospital,” said Jones, who grew up just a few blocks west of the current site.