John Henry Hale

Millie E. Gibson Hale and John Henry Hale were a powerful couple dedicated to justice and healing. Millie, born in 1881, was a nurse and educator, while John, born in 1878, became a renowned surgeon. In 1915, they founded the Millie E. Hale Hospital at their home in Nashville to serve the Black community when White hospitals refused to treat Black patients. At a time when women were allowed few professional leadership roles, it is significant that the hospital bore Ms. Hale’s name. She was the hospital’s superintendent, while Dr. Hale served as surgeon-in-chief. Millie's premature death in 1930 led to the hospital's integration into Hubbard Hospital. John continued his surgical career, performing 30,000 surgeries and training Black doctors across the Jim Crow South. The Hales also established a community center, a children's park, and provided assistance to those in need. Dr. Hale's contributions were recognized with the United States Public Health Service's Distinguished Service Medal.