Homer G. Phillips

A st. louis attorney who was the son of a former slave,

Homer G. Philips was raised by his aunt after becoming orphaned. He went to Howard University for his law degree, and he secured $1 million to construct a hospital for Black St. Louisans in north city, which was named the Homer G. Phillips Hospital. This hospital provided affordable care to Black St. Louisans who were turned away from other hospitals and by 1961, it had trained more Black doctors than any other institution in the world. The hospital was closed in 1070, leaving north city without a full service hospital. Homer G. Phillips never got to see his hospital: he was murdered in 1931. 

You can read more about the hospital and Homer G. Phillips in the book Climbing the Ladder, Chasing the Dream: The History of Homer G. Phillips Hospital and in the movie The Color Of Medicine: The Story Of Homer G. Phillips Hospital.