[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 200 (Thursday, December 22, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Pages S10088-S10089]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    TRIBUTE TO DR. WILLIAM FINLAYSON

  Ms. BALDWIN. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize the exceptional 
career and life of Dr. William Finlayson. Dr. Finlayson is a pillar of 
the Milwaukee Black Community and has left an indelible mark on so many 
families in Wisconsin's largest city.
  Dr. Finlayson was born in 1924 in Manatee, FL. From a young age, he 
studied and excelled at school, and at age 16 he started his collegiate 
career at Florida A&M. At age 19, Finlayson entered the U.S. Army and 
served as a first lieutenant from 1943 through 1946. During his time in 
the U.S. Army, he taught illiterate Black soldiers how to read, 
receiving a promotion to second lieutenant due to his work. He then 
served in the Army Reserves between 1946 to 1953.
  While serving in the Reserves, Finlayson moved to Atlanta to attend 
Morehouse College. It was during this time that he became classmates 
and fraternity brothers with the late Martin Luther King, Jr. Finlayson 
graduated from Morehouse in 1948 with his B.S and then attended Meharry 
Medical College in 1953.
  After graduating from medical school, Dr. Finlayson arrived to the 
city of Milwaukee in 1958, where segregation was making it difficult 
for Black physicians to get hired by the city's best hospitals. Ever 
determined, Dr. Finlayson founded his own private practice, along with 
Dr. Walter White, Dr. Randall Pollard, Dr. George Hillard, and Dr. 
Gerald Poindexter. He was eventually admitted as the first Black doctor 
at St. Joseph's Hospital. He built a successful practice, with people 
often sitting on the steps outside of his office just to see him.
  However, his passion for helping the Black community did not stop 
there. Dr. Finlayson participated in fair housing marches led by 
Alderwoman Vel Philips and Father James Groppi. During the civil rights 
era, it was Dr. Finlayson who was instrumental in bringing MLK Jr. to 
the city of Milwaukee to speak.
  Dr. Finlayson was a champion for financial literacy, cofounding the 
first Black-owned bank in the city, North Milwaukee State Bank, wanting 
to offer full-service banking to underserved communities. He also 
founded the W.E.B Du Bois Club, educating high school students with the 
financial skills they needed to succeed while preserving Black history.
  In his life, Dr. Finlayson delivered over 10,000 babies, served as 
president of the Cream City Medical Society, Milwaukee Gynecological 
Society, and his local YMCA. He was a house delegate to the Wisconsin 
Medical Society, teaching at both the Medical College of Wisconsin and 
the University of Wisconsin Medical School. He served as

[[Page S10089]]

vice president of the United Way of Greater Milwaukee and Waukesha 
County and continues to be a member of the Urban League, as well as a 
lifetime member of the NAACP.
  Dr. Finlayson is truly a Milwaukee trailblazer, consistently fighting 
for equality in the State of Wisconsin. Recently, the Milwaukee road 
that was formerly North 5th Street was renamed Dr. William Finlayson 
Street in his honor. At 98 years old, Dr. Finlayson continues to have a 
tremendous impact on so many families in Milwaukee. His legacy and 
advice will live on due to the insurmountable barriers that he set out 
to shatter. His advice for the younger generations consists of, ``I 
think the key is learning. Learn as much as you can, do as much as you 
can.'' I am pleased to join others in recognizing Dr. Finlayson's 
success and contributions to the people of Milwaukee, our State, and 
our Nation.

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