"OUR RICH BLACK HERITAGE" : LINCOLN L BURWELL

When Black Civil Rights Marchers were attacked during the first “March On Selma,” at the Edmund Pettus Bridge, on “Bloody Sunday”( March 7,1965 ), one of the hospitals that the injured were taken to was the “BURWELL INFIRMARY.” One of the things that was special about the Burwell Infirmary was that it was originally owned and operated by a Black doctor named, Lincoln L Burwell[ the original infirmary he had built was the first Black-Owned and Operated hospital in Selma ]. Another thing that stood out about this medical facility is that it was located in a thriving Black middle-class neighborhood{ it was a 14-bed facility staffed by Black doctors and Black nurses }. Reportedly, the Burwell Infirmary started out as The Burwell Drugstore( Dr. Lincoln L Burwell had it built around 1886 and it was the first Black-Owned Drugstore in Selma ). Surprisingly, the story about the Burwell Drugstore has several similarities to the “MILLER-ROY BUILDING” that was built here in Monroe, in 1929. In both cases, Black doctors had the buildings built, both buildings had a doctor’s office, and both buildings had a drugstore. Along with the other similarities, both the Burwell Drugstore/Infirmary and The Miller-Roy Building helped fulfilled the needs within Black Communities! Now, let’s get to this week’s Black Pioneer! Lincoln L Burwell was born on October 25, 1867, in Marengo County{ part of Alabama’s Black Belt region, located in the west-central region of the state of Alabama }. His parents were Charles and Amanda Burwell. When Lincoln was eight years old, his parents sent him to live with his older brother( Charles Burwell Jr ) in Perry County. His parents and older brother had the make many sacrifices in order for Lincoln to attend school. school. In 1884, he enrolled at the Alabama Baptist Normal and Theological School [ present day Selma University ]. During the summer school-breaks Lincoln worked odd jobs to help pay for his school tuition. Lincoln excelled in school and he ended-up becoming the Valedictorian of the Selma University class of 1886. Around that time, there was a great need for a Colored doctor in Selman. Some of the people from The Alabama Colored Baptist State Convention{ the organization that supported Selma University }, suggested that Lincoln enroll in Leonard Medical School( it was established in Raleigh, North Carolina by Shaw University in 1880 and was the first four-year medical school in the United States, and the school trained more than 400 Black physicians ). Lincoln packed his bags and enrolled there in 1886. Not only did Lincoln become the first person to complete the 4 -year degree program in 3 years, but he also became the first person to earn a double-degree in medicine and literature! When Lincoln returned home to Selma, he opened his medical practice. Around 1890, he had a home built near Selma University[ his home also served as his medical office ]. Around 1893, Lincoln opened the first Black-owned pharmacy in Selma { which was destroyed by a suspicious fire in 1897 }. In 1907, Lincoln had another building built( it too was destroyed by a suspicious fire in 1913 ). Finally, around 1915, he had another building built! However, in 1922, the Edmundite Missionaries opened the Good Samaritan Hospital, and the Burwell Infirmary no longer was the primary Black hospital in Selma. Lincoln L Burwell died On March 6, 1928 and was buried in Lincoln Cemetery in Selma. The Burwell Infirmary remained in operation until 1966, when the facility became a retirement home[ Burwell’s home on Anderson Street in Selma is listed on the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage, since 2015, and the National Register of Historic Places, since 2022 ].