Minority Health Partners of LaPorte County, Inc.

02/06/2025

Wagon wheel to underground Railroad Quilt

02/20/2022

“Who Are We?”
I was asked to put articles of Black History on our Church Bulletin Board during the month of February. So I decided to put information on our work page as well. That is what started this research on history. I wanted to use Michigan City’s Black History as well as national/world and early history of our country.
I went on line and checked out the library time frame of events and news articles from 1900 through 1980. What a huge surprise. African Americans hardly appear before the 1950’s. It’s like we were nonexistent in Michigan City. I found mention of the first African American Church and that information was incorrect, the mini riots (information not correct) and the demolition of the Patch Nothing about the African American Males who were professionals that came to this city in the early 20’s. Nothing about the young lady who moved to Paris and became an Opera Star; just to name a few; I wonder why that was. Our youth use the internet for research, they rely on information from historical societies and information complied by libraries to be correct.
All information should be correct no matter who is at fault or what nationality they are. What didn’t appear in the time line is why the riots started in the first place. The riot was caused by Caucasian males who objected to Black males dating Caucasian females. Other racially bias activities happened throughout the city. This resulted in the National Guard being called in to keep peace in our city. The information on the first Black Church should have read Bethel A.M.E. Church of Michigan City is the first organized Black Church in Michigan City. The church was organized as a mission in 1905.

As an African American female and mother I want my children, grandchildren and great grandchildren to know the truth about City, Country and World history. Let’s tell the truth about Jim Crow, Health Disparities, Education, Food Deserts, and the fact that discrimination still exist today.
It is incumbent upon parents to take charge of their responsibilities. We have to challenge the system about what is being taught in our schools.
WHO ARE WE? We didn’t come to this country by choice. As a matter of fact there is no other race of people that have come to this country by force. In our native country we were Kings, Queens, Property-owners, Multi-talented and were slaves to no one. Yet we were brought here by people who were thrown out of their own country for being cut throats, murderers, shifty and undesirable. Our journey to this country was brutal to say the least. Beaten, bruised and abused and many died from being in the bottom of ships. After all of that we were sold to slave owners who r***d our women, beat and abused our men. Then came Jim Crow, racial segregation and discrimination enforced by laws and customs.
WHO ARE WE? We are African Americans still struggling to be a part of this nation, society and country where we have paid our dues, by losing our lives fighting for a country that is separate and not equal. However: this Country is still willing to make use of our talent, skills, knowledge and generosity. Who are we? A people that is still fighting a war but we will win the battle.
Black history was put aside for the month of February, but we create history each day throughout the year.

02/14/2022

02/10/2022

Elite Team:
Can you name all the players

02/10/2022

Can you name all of us?

02/08/2022

ONE OF MICHIGAN CITY'S FIRST BLACK FEMALE POLICE OFFICERS

02/08/2022

Joined Police Department in 1971
MICHIGAN CITY’S FIRST BLACK FEMALE POLICE OFFICER JOINED THE POLICE FORCE IN 1971
LaVerne M. Dunlap was born in Greenwood, Mississippi, July 31, 1947 to the union of Mattie and Sell Dunlap. Her formal schooling started at St. Francis Elementary School in Greenwood where she attended kindergarten.
The family relocated to Kingsford Heights, Indiana in 1953 where she was enrolled at the local elementary school and later attended Union Township High School up to her 10th year.
As a child, LaVerne enjoyed the freedom and security of a small, caring community where she participated in sports and childhood activities such as the 4-H Club, youth centered programs at the 1st Baptist Church of Kingsford Heights and culinary arts as taught within her household and school.
The family moved to Michigan City, Indiana, when LaVerne was a Junior in high school. She completed her preliminary education at Elston Senior High School.
Following graduation, she engaged in several menial employment settings, but particulated and enjoyed an opportunity to care for patients at the Westville Mental Hospital.
Her reality drastically changed when she was hired by the Michigan City Police Department as one of the first females to serve as one of Michigan City’s finest. As a law enforcement officer, LaVerne functioned as street patrol, motorcycle patrol, Front Desk intake, drove the boat for the dive team, Liaison for the high school and undercover agent for the cities of Gary and South Bend while working vice.
One of the highlights of her career was to participate as security for President Obama, when he spoke in Highland, Indiana.

02/08/2022

Remember This Story

02/08/2022

Black History In Michigan City Indiana

02/06/2022

Celebrating Black History: The First Successful Open Heart Surgery
A medical pioneer for future African American doctors and nurses and a trailblazer in the surgical field. Dr. Daniel Hale Williams was the first physician to perform open-heart surgery in the United States and founded the first black hospital.

February marks the 45th annual celebration of Black History Month, a month dedicated to honoring and spotlighting the significant works, achievements, and contributions that African Americans have made to society and the world. From science to medicine, technology, art, engineering, literature, history, politics, and inventions, African American innovators transformed our world for the better.

To celebrate, each week throughout Black History Month, Trusted Medical will spotlight an African American medical pioneer whose groundbreaking contributions changed the course of medicine and paved the way for future generations. We begin with a man who performed the first successful open-heart surgery, Dr. Daniel Hale Williams. Keep reading to learn more about Dr. Daniel Hale Williams and his groundbreaking role in the field of medicine.

Born in 1856 in Pennsylvania, Dr. Daniel Hale Williams began his career as a shoemaker’s apprentice. He then took up barbering, following in his father’s footsteps for a short time. Ultimately, Williams decided he wanted to pursue his education and started an apprenticeship under Dr. Henry Palmer, a highly accomplished surgeon. He went on to complete further training at Chicago Medical College.

Graduating with his M.D. in 1883, Dr. Williams became a surgeon in the Chicago area at a time when there were only three other Black physicians in Chicago. As a practicing surgeon during the segregation era, he was prohibited from being admitted and working at hospitals. In response, Dr. Williams founded the Provident Hospital and Training School, the first Black-owned hospital in the United States and the first medical facility with an in*******al staff.

In the summer of 1893, Dr. Williams became the first surgeon to perform open-heart surgery on a human. The surgery was performed without the use of X-rays, antibiotics, surgical prep-work, or the tools of modern surgery. The patient survived and was discharged just 51 days later, making it the first successful open-heart surgery on a human. The operation earned Williams recognition as a brilliant surgeon and pioneer in the field of medicine during a time when technological discoveries were revolutionizing the practice of medicine.

The following year, Dr. Williams moved to Washington D.C., where he continued to devote his entire life and career to medicine and fight for equality in healthcare. In 1895, he co-founded the National Medical Association, a professional organization for Black medical practitioners. To this day, Dr. Williams’ impact continues through his organization, as it stands as the oldest and largest national organization representing African American physicians and their patients. The association began as an alternative to the all-white American Medical Association that did not extend membership to Black doctors at the time.

For the remainder of his career, Dr. Williams continued to work as an accomplished surgeon and continued to change the medical field with his discoveries and new techniques, working at Cook County Hospital, St. Luke’s, and Meharry Medical College respectively. He would receive many honors including being named a Fellow in the American College of Surgeons in 1913 and awarded an honorary degree from Howard University School of Medicine.

At the time of his death, Dr. Williams left several donations to the many organizations that he supported including the NAACP, Meharry Medical College, Howard University, among many other institutions that were essential in providing expanded medical opportunities for African American students.

To read more about Dr. Williams and how his work still impacts our society, visit the Provident Foundation, an organization dedicated to preserving Dr. Williams’ Provident Hospital and Training School legacy.

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