The Claytor Memorial Clinic was more than just a health care facility for the residents of Gainsboro, a historic black neighborhood in Roanoke, Virginia. It was a symbol of pride, resilience, and community. Founded by Dr. Richard L. Claytor Sr., one of the first black physicians in the city, the clinic served thousands of patients from 1947 to 1972, offering affordable and quality care to those who faced discrimination and segregation in other hospitals.
The Legacy of Dr. Claytor Sr.
Dr. Claytor Sr. was born in 1908 in Lynchburg, Virginia, and graduated from Howard University Medical School in 1934. He moved to Roanoke in 1937 and opened his first office on Henry Street, the heart of the black business district. He soon became a respected and trusted doctor, as well as a leader and activist in the civil rights movement. He was one of the founders of the Roanoke chapter of the NAACP and served as its president for several years. He also helped establish the Roanoke Negro Civic League, which advocated for better housing, education, and employment opportunities for the black community.
In 1947, Dr. Claytor Sr. built a new clinic on Second Street SW, next to his home. The Claytor Memorial Clinic was a modern and spacious facility, equipped with an X-ray machine, a laboratory, and a pharmacy. It had four exam rooms, a waiting room, and a reception area. The clinic employed a staff of nurses, technicians, and clerks, most of whom were black. Dr. Claytor Sr. treated patients of all ages and backgrounds, from newborns to the elderly, from the poor to the middle class, from the local to the regional. He specialized in pediatrics, obstetrics, and gynecology, but also provided general medicine, surgery, and emergency care. He delivered over 5,000 babies in his career, many of whom were named after him or his wife, Dorothy.
Dr. Claytor Sr. was not only a physician, but also a mentor, a teacher, and a friend to his patients and colleagues. He often waived or reduced fees for those who could not afford to pay, and sometimes even paid for their prescriptions or transportation. He also trained and supported many young black doctors and nurses, who went on to serve in other parts of the country or the world. He was known for his kindness, generosity, and professionalism, as well as his sense of humor and his love of music and sports.
The Impact of Urban Renewal
The Claytor Memorial Clinic thrived for 25 years, until it fell victim to the urban renewal program that swept across the nation in the 1960s and 1970s. The program, funded by the federal government, aimed to revitalize and modernize the inner cities by demolishing old and dilapidated buildings and replacing them with new and improved ones. However, the program also displaced and disrupted many low-income and minority communities, who were often given little or no compensation or relocation assistance.
In Roanoke, the urban renewal program targeted the Gainsboro neighborhood, which was home to about 10,000 black residents and hundreds of black-owned businesses, churches, and institutions. The program, dubbed “Operation Breakthrough”, razed about 60 percent of the neighborhood, including the Claytor Memorial Clinic and the Claytor family home. Dr. Claytor Sr. was forced to close his clinic in 1972 and move his practice to another location. He died in 1979, at the age of 71.
The urban renewal program left a lasting scar on the Gainsboro community, which lost much of its social, economic, and cultural fabric. Many residents and businesses never returned, and the neighborhood suffered from poverty, crime, and neglect. The Claytor Memorial Clinic, which once stood as a beacon of hope and healing, became a vacant lot, a reminder of what was lost.
The Efforts to Preserve the Memory
The Claytor family and the Gainsboro community have not forgotten the legacy of Dr. Claytor Sr. and his clinic. They have been working to preserve and honor their memory, and to educate and inspire future generations. Some of the efforts include:
- The Claytor Memorial Clinic Historical Marker: In 2016, a state historical marker was erected on the site of the former clinic, recognizing its significance and contribution to the history of Roanoke and Virginia. The marker was sponsored by the Roanoke City Council, the Virginia Department of Historic Resources, and the Claytor family.
- The Claytor Memorial Clinic Scholarship: In 2017, the Claytor family established a scholarship fund in honor of Dr. Claytor Sr. and his clinic, to support students who are pursuing careers in health care, especially in underserved communities. The scholarship is administered by the Roanoke Valley Scholarship Fund, and awards $1,000 annually to a graduating senior from a Roanoke public high school.
- The Claytor Memorial Clinic Exhibit: In 2019, the Harrison Museum of African American Culture, located in the historic Dumas Hotel on Henry Street, opened an exhibit dedicated to the Claytor Memorial Clinic and its impact on the Gainsboro neighborhood. The exhibit features photos, documents, artifacts, and oral histories from the clinic and its patients and staff. The exhibit also highlights the role of black health care professionals in Roanoke and the challenges they faced during the Jim Crow era and the civil rights movement.
The Claytor Memorial Clinic may be gone, but its spirit lives on in the hearts and minds of those who knew it, and those who learn from it. It is a story of courage, compassion, and community, that deserves to be told and remembered.
