Slossfield Community Center: Difference between revisions

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(New page: Slossfield Community Center, designed by E. B. Van Keuren, 1936-1939. 1901 25th Court North, Birmingham, Alabama From the Birmingham Historical Society Newsletter, May 2007: "In 1940, th...)
 
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Slossfield Community Center, designed by E. B. Van Keuren, 1936-1939.  
[[Image:Slossfield Community Center.jpg|right|thumb|450px|The maternity clinic at the Slossfield Community Center in July 2009]]
1901 25th Court North, Birmingham, Alabama
The '''Slossfield Community Center'''  is a complex of buildings built in the 1930s by Black employees of [[American Cast Iron Pipe Company]] with contributions from the company, and with public funding, as an extension of ACIPCO's industrial health program for workers and their families. The center served Black residents of the neighborhood.


From the Birmingham Historical Society Newsletter, May 2007: "In 1940, the cast-in-place concrete buildings of this campus were hailed  as a national model for providing medical, educational, and recreational services to the North Birmingham community. The Art Deco structures adjacent to Lewis School and a library branch are in sound condition and neighborhood leaders hope they may once again provide programs for the neighborhood."
The complex is located between [[19th Street North|19th]] and [[20th Street North|20th Street]]s and between [[25th Avenue North]] and [[25th Court North]] in the [[Slossfield]] community between [[North Birmingham neighborhood|North Birmingham]] and [[Acipco-Finley]]. The site, which formerly housed [[Birmingham]]'s [[Birmingham city stables|municipal stables]], was donated in exchange for the cost of relocating the stables. It now abuts the right of way for [[I-65]], just north of the [[Finley Boulevard]] exit.


Added to National Register of Historic Places on May 29, 2008.
Funds were raised for the building through payroll deductions from Black workers to the [[Acipco Negro Employees Chest Fund]], which was initiated by the company as, "a means of teaching the Negro the necessity of his participation in Negro Welfare Work." By [[1939]] the chest fund had contributed $2,100 directly to the WPA, and significant additional funds to programs and services at the community center.
 
The art-deco styled poured concrete structures were designed by [[Davis Architects|E. B. Van Keuren]] and constructed by the [[Works Progress Administration]] between [[1936]] and [[1939]]. The complex consists of several buildings, originally housing a health and maternity clinic, an education building and a recreation center.
 
The health clinic, which opened on [[July 1]], [[1939]] and expanded in [[1941]] from 28 to 39 rooms, was built and staffed with assistance from the [[Jefferson County Board of Health]], the [[Jefferson County Anti-Tuberculosis Association]] (through its [[Birmingham Health Association]], a subsidiary serving the black community), the Julius Rosenwald Fund, the Alabama State Department of Health, and the Children's Bureau.
 
Patients had to demonstrate an inability to afford private health care. The maternity clinic, directed by [[Thomas Boulware]], provided pre-natal care and obstetrics (in clinic delivery rooms or by house call), general pediatrics, dental care, tuberculosis treatment, and venereal disease detection and treatment. The clinic's diagnostic facilities were focused entirely on the detection of syphilis, and patients with other conditions were referred to other medical facilities. The clinic served as a training center for graduate students and also provided health education to the public. It stood out as a national example of a high-quality community health-care facility and as a key component of a publicly-funded system for preserving public health.
 
Programming for the education and recreation centers was provided by the National Youth Administration. Additional support came from a local "community chest" funded by area families. The [[Slossfield Branch Library]] and [[Lewis Elementary School]] were constructed in the community adjacent to the complex.
 
The Slossfield Community Center, now vacant, was added to the [[National Register of Historic Places]] on [[May 29]], [[2008]]. In [[2017]] the [[Salvation Army]], which renovated the nearby Lewis Elementary School into its [[Salvation Army Center of Hope]], proposed to purchase the land from the city and renovate the long vacant community center site for a Worship and Community Outreach Center.
 
==References==
* Maddux, Walter H. (October 8, 1940) "[http://www.ajph.org/cgi/reprint/31/5/481.pdf The Slossfield Health Center]". Paper delivered to the American Public Health Association's 66th Annual Meeting in Detroit, Michigan. Reprinted May 1941 in the ''American Journal of Public Health''. Vol. 31, pp. 481-6
* "[http://www.bhistorical.org/pdf/BHS_Newsletter_0507.pdf For Supporting the Public Good]" (May 2007) ''Birmingham Historical Society Newsletter''. p. 4
* Nelson, Jennifer (Fall 2007) "[https://www.jstor.org/stable/44451596 Healthcare Reconsidered: Forging Community Wellness among African Americans in the South]" ''Bulletin of the History of Medicine'' Vol. 81, No. 3, pp. 594-624
* Godwin, Brent (August 22, 2017) "Long vacant Birmingham property could be redeveloped." {{BBJ}}
* Garrison, Greg (May 9, 2018) [https://www.al.com/living/index.ssf/2018/05/salvation_army_ready_to_renova.html "Salvation Army ready to renovate historic hospital"] {{BN}}
 
[[Category:Slossfield]]
[[Category:Acipco]]
[[Category:19th Street North]]
[[Category:20th Street North]]
[[Category:25th Avenue North]]
[[Category:25th Court North]]
[[Category:Community centers]]
[[Category:Jefferson County Clinics]]
[[Category:Fitness centers]]
[[Category:Education centers]]
[[Category:1939 buildings]]
[[Category:WPA projects]]
[[Category:E. B. Van Keuren buildings]]
[[Category:Vacant buildings]]
[[Category:National Register of Historic Places in Birmingham]]

Latest revision as of 12:47, 2 February 2023

The maternity clinic at the Slossfield Community Center in July 2009

The Slossfield Community Center is a complex of buildings built in the 1930s by Black employees of American Cast Iron Pipe Company with contributions from the company, and with public funding, as an extension of ACIPCO's industrial health program for workers and their families. The center served Black residents of the neighborhood.

The complex is located between 19th and 20th Streets and between 25th Avenue North and 25th Court North in the Slossfield community between North Birmingham and Acipco-Finley. The site, which formerly housed Birmingham's municipal stables, was donated in exchange for the cost of relocating the stables. It now abuts the right of way for I-65, just north of the Finley Boulevard exit.

Funds were raised for the building through payroll deductions from Black workers to the Acipco Negro Employees Chest Fund, which was initiated by the company as, "a means of teaching the Negro the necessity of his participation in Negro Welfare Work." By 1939 the chest fund had contributed $2,100 directly to the WPA, and significant additional funds to programs and services at the community center.

The art-deco styled poured concrete structures were designed by E. B. Van Keuren and constructed by the Works Progress Administration between 1936 and 1939. The complex consists of several buildings, originally housing a health and maternity clinic, an education building and a recreation center.

The health clinic, which opened on July 1, 1939 and expanded in 1941 from 28 to 39 rooms, was built and staffed with assistance from the Jefferson County Board of Health, the Jefferson County Anti-Tuberculosis Association (through its Birmingham Health Association, a subsidiary serving the black community), the Julius Rosenwald Fund, the Alabama State Department of Health, and the Children's Bureau.

Patients had to demonstrate an inability to afford private health care. The maternity clinic, directed by Thomas Boulware, provided pre-natal care and obstetrics (in clinic delivery rooms or by house call), general pediatrics, dental care, tuberculosis treatment, and venereal disease detection and treatment. The clinic's diagnostic facilities were focused entirely on the detection of syphilis, and patients with other conditions were referred to other medical facilities. The clinic served as a training center for graduate students and also provided health education to the public. It stood out as a national example of a high-quality community health-care facility and as a key component of a publicly-funded system for preserving public health.

Programming for the education and recreation centers was provided by the National Youth Administration. Additional support came from a local "community chest" funded by area families. The Slossfield Branch Library and Lewis Elementary School were constructed in the community adjacent to the complex.

The Slossfield Community Center, now vacant, was added to the National Register of Historic Places on May 29, 2008. In 2017 the Salvation Army, which renovated the nearby Lewis Elementary School into its Salvation Army Center of Hope, proposed to purchase the land from the city and renovate the long vacant community center site for a Worship and Community Outreach Center.

References

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