Emma Reynolds
Dr. Emma Reynolds was the woman who sparked the establishment of the Provident Hospital and Training School. Her legacy lives on, and her accomplishments continue to open doors for nurses of color to this day.
Emma Ann Reynolds was born in Frankfort, Ohio in 1862.
With the support of prominent individuals, both black and white, Emma Reynolds’ desire to become a professional nurse began. On May 4, 1891, the black owned and operated Provident Hospital and Training School Association; a twelve-bed facility opened its doors at 29th and Dearborn in Chicago. Miss Reynolds enrolled in the first nursing class along with seven other young women.
Nurse Emma Reynolds graduated from Provident Hospital’s Nursing School in 1893. She enrolled in the Woman’s Medical College of Chicago at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, and in 1895, she received her M.D. degree.
In 1990, the Provident Hospital Nurse Alumni Association erected a tombstone for Dr. Emma Reynolds in Greenlawn Cemetery, Frankfort, Ohio. In 1994, Dr. Reynolds was inducted into the Ohio Women’s Hall of Fame for her accomplishments.