When was this "asylum" opened, and what did it look like? Did it follow Kirkbride's design? Paste images as appropriate - interior and exterior.
The Asylum for Colored Insane was opened in 1880. The name was changed to Cherry Hospital in 1959 to honor Governor Gregg Cherry.
The original design was did follow the Kirkbride's design. It was a small hospital but did allow for sunlight in all of the rooms and common areas.
The hospital moved in 2016 to a new facility, bigger with better treatment facilities including green space on higher floors.
What was this institution's original intent?
The original intent of the hospital was to treat all persons of color in the state of North Carolina. This changed in 1965 with the Civil Rights Movement and began treating all races in all hospitals. Patients from other regions were transferred to hospitals in their region.
Who were the patients there? Do narratives of their experiences exist?
Until 1965 all patients were people of color for the entire state and then patients were sent to hospitals in the regions in which they lived. Mainly treatment consisted of working on the farm, in the laundry room, kitchen and grounds, this was called "horticultural therapy". Some patients were also loaned out to local farmers to work their farms.
Those who thought above their station, independent women, those with "unnatural sexual desires", masturbators as well as people who were depressed, anxious and more serious mental illnesses made up the patients at Cherry Hospital.
Did the institution, its services, and patients change over time?
How many people lived, worked, and died there?
Were bad conditions ever exposed to the public? How?
Would you have wanted "treatment" in this institution?
First hand narratives are hard to find but there are some stories from relatives.
There is also a museum on the new hospital grounds that contains the history of the hospital from the beginning.
2007 book, Unspeakable: The Story of Junius Wilson, is a story of a patient who spent most of his life within the asylum only to realize that he was deaf not mentally ill.
There are also tales of the old Cherry Hospital being haunted.
What was the patients' experience like in that institution, and did that change over the course of the institution's history?
At the beginning race played a huge part in the treatment of the patients. Only people of color were admitted and treated in brutal ways. The "horticultural therapy" while could be considered a valid therapy at the time was no more than treating the patients as slaves. Patients were also treated with electroshock therapy and locked in cages. Patients were also neglected for long periods of time. At one point a ward had to be closed down due to the death of a patient front neglect.
Did the institution, its services, and patients change over time?
Yes the hospital changed largely due to the Civil Rights Movement in 1965 where the people of color were treated in hospitals where they were from. As well Cherry Hospital began treated white patients.
Today Cherry Hospital is one of three psychiatric hospitals in North Carolina. An impatient facility, their website speaks of offering a place of hope, care and recovery. Also works as a teaching school.
How many people lived, worked, and died there?
In the beginning the hospital was set up for 76 patients but in a few months more than 100 patients were crowded into the facility.
There are two cemeteries on the original campus for Cherry Hospital with an estimated 3000 graves. Of these 3000 graves only approximately 700 have markers with names of the deceased.
Were bad conditions ever exposed to the public? How?
The conditions were only exposed once an incident occurred that resulted in a death of a patient. Articles and books were written to bring injustices to light.
Would you have wanted "treatment" in this institution?
No, I would not have wanted to be a patient at the inception of the hospital. People of color were treated as slaves and not really treated. This was not the intention of Dorothea Dix. However, in the new Cherry Hospital that seems to treat patients in a holistic manner maybe I would consider a stay, if needed.
Thank you for this, Judi. What a horrible thing to consider that these individuals were shipped off to this place under the guise of treatment and instead made to be slaves. And the use of "Horticulture Therapy" is an offense to the vocabulary in and of itself. I was struck by this comment, "Some patients were also loaned out to local farmers to work their farms," because it just made it so clear that the labor and means of production was likely more important than the care of these people.
ReplyDeleteEamon, yes! I thought the same thing. To be honest when I was looking at places to use for this assignment I was very disturbed by this place but wanted to make sure it was highlighted.
ReplyDeleteWhat an interesting place, the original intent of the hospital sounded advanced and ahead of their time but in the end simply looked like a front for slavery which is horrible. Horticulture therapy is something that a lot of institutes seemed to implement and is even in our text as it believed to provide a sense of purpose to patients.
ReplyDeleteHi Judi- Thank you for this unique find in history. Especially during the time we are in now, it reminds us of how not long ago the disturbing treatment to not only those with mental illness but those individuals who are not White skin. The type of therapy makes sense but when you think about the populations it was applied to, it was still work done for free and the only option where that is still forced, manipulated, and similar to slavery treatments. It kind of reminds me of this trend that has continued into today's treatments. Of course there is much more assistance than 'physical working/helping' but that it is expected a variety of treatment programs and especially in jails/prisons. I went to a facility once where it was expected for patients to clean, chores, cook to contribute. In jails/prisons, they manage to get away with this because they 'pay them' which in getting paid .10 cents an hour might as well be a joke. I get the point where it totally is therapeutic getting to feel like you are part of the team and preparing yourself to stay in routine with what you do outside when living in community. Though, I think it becomes not helpful when a patient or inmate gets punished for not doing something and there is no one paid in place to take care of it. It saves these places money by utilizing these people that it definitely makes you wonder what is the driving cause for it.
ReplyDeleteHi Judi
ReplyDeleteThis is a very interesting place, and I would have never known about it if you didn't chose it, so thank you. This is extremely saddening due to the original intent this institution. I agree with Vessa's comment about this institution in the end acted as a front for slavery. Horticulture therapy is believed to be something that gives patients purpose and a sense of accomplishment and it is saddening to know that they used this therapy for other reasons. It is a great method to an extent, as Morgan stated in her comment. You did a great job highlighting this institution, thank you.