Curtis Cooper (civil rights leader)
Encyclopedia
Curtis V. Cooper was an American health care
and civil rights
leader from Georgia
.
and had Black heritage. He graduated from Savannah State College
, but his lack of financial resources prevented him from achieving his dream of becoming a physician.
and later became president of the NAACP Savannah Branch.
In 1984, Cooper became one of the first black members of Memorial Medical Center's board of directors. In 1995, he became chairman of that same board. He also was the chairman of the Chatham County Hospital Authority twice and he served on the Georgia State Access to Health Care Commission and the Georgia State Health Strategies Council.
There are currently three Curtis V. Cooper Primary Health Care facilities. They are located at:
passed a resolution to express their regret at the passing of Curtis V. Cooper and convey their sincerest sympathy to the members of his family.
Health care
Health care is the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease, illness, injury, and other physical and mental impairments in humans. Health care is delivered by practitioners in medicine, chiropractic, dentistry, nursing, pharmacy, allied health, and other care providers...
and civil rights
Civil rights movement
The civil rights movement was a worldwide political movement for equality before the law occurring between approximately 1950 and 1980. In many situations it took the form of campaigns of civil resistance aimed at achieving change by nonviolent forms of resistance. In some situations it was...
leader from Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
.
Early background
He was born in 1932 in Savannah, GeorgiaSavannah, Georgia
Savannah is the largest city and the county seat of Chatham County, in the U.S. state of Georgia. Established in 1733, the city of Savannah was the colonial capital of the Province of Georgia and later the first state capital of Georgia. Today Savannah is an industrial center and an important...
and had Black heritage. He graduated from Savannah State College
Savannah State University
Savannah State University is a four-year, state-supported, historically black university located in Savannah, Georgia. Savannah State holds the distinction as the oldest public historically black university in Georgia...
, but his lack of financial resources prevented him from achieving his dream of becoming a physician.
Civil rights leader
Cooper took part in the civil rights movement. He was a leader in the local Youth Council of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, usually abbreviated as NAACP, is an African-American civil rights organization in the United States, formed in 1909. Its mission is "to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and to...
and later became president of the NAACP Savannah Branch.
Health care provider
Cooper is credited with reshaping health care for the poor in his native city. In 1972, he secured funds for the establishment of a comprehensive health center for the city's indigent and served as its executive director. Under his management, it grew into the Westside-Urban Health Center, a major medical resource.In 1984, Cooper became one of the first black members of Memorial Medical Center's board of directors. In 1995, he became chairman of that same board. He also was the chairman of the Chatham County Hospital Authority twice and he served on the Georgia State Access to Health Care Commission and the Georgia State Health Strategies Council.
There are currently three Curtis V. Cooper Primary Health Care facilities. They are located at:
- 106 East Broad Street (near Broughton Street in Savannah's Historic District);
- 840 Hitch Drive;
- 2 Roberts Street (on the corner of West Bay Street near Garden City, GeorgiaGarden City, GeorgiaGarden City is a city in Chatham County, Georgia, United States. It lies along the Savannah River just northwest of Savannah. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 8,778...
).
Death
Cooper died in January 2000. Soon after, the Georgia House of RepresentativesGeorgia House of Representatives
The Georgia House of Representatives is the lower house of the Georgia General Assembly of the U.S. state of Georgia.-Composition:...
passed a resolution to express their regret at the passing of Curtis V. Cooper and convey their sincerest sympathy to the members of his family.
Honor
The following landmark was named to honor Curtis Cooper:- The Curtis V. Cooper Garden, a terrasse from the Savannah International Trade & Convention Center