John Walcott Kay

John Walcott Kay
Kay circa 1920
Born1890 (1890)
DiedMarch 6, 1927(1927-03-06) (aged 36–37)
Resting place
Mount Hope Cemetery
EducationShaw University
Occupationphysician
SpouseWillie Virginia Otey (1915–1927; his death)
Children7 (including June Kay Campbell)
RelativesBill Campbell (grandson)
Ralph Campbell Jr. (grandson)

John Walcott Kay (1890 – 1927) was an African-American physician. He operated a medical practice in Wilmington, North Carolina and was one of the founders of the city's Community Hospital for African-Americans.

Early life and education

Kay was born in Weldon, North Carolina in 1890. He attended Leonard Medical School at Shaw University in Raleigh, graduating with a medical degree in 1912.

Career

Community Hospital in Wilmington

After graduating from medical school, Kay moved to Wilmington, North Carolina to open up a medical practice. In 1921, he co-founded Community Hospital, which was the city's first hospital to exclusively serve African-American residents, alongside A. J. Wilson, Foster Burnett, Willie Blount, and Boyd Paul.

Personal life

While a student at Shaw University, Kay met Willie Virginia Otey. They married in 1915. They had seven children, two of which died in infancy. One of his daughters, June, was a prominent civil rights activist. He was the grandfather of North Carolina State Auditor Ralph Campbell Jr. and Atlanta Mayor Bill Campbell. Kay had a large Neoclassical house built in Wilmington, where the family lived until his death.

He died on March 6, 1927, following an emergency surgery for a ruptured abdominal hernia, and was buried at Mount Hope Cemetery in Raleigh. His widow and children moved to Raleigh upon his death.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Dr. John Walcott Kay". New Hanover County Public Library. Wilmington, North Carolina. Retrieved January 9, 2026.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "John Kay House 1921". Historical Marker Database. Retrieved January 9, 2026.
  3. ↑ Pope, Justin Williams (January 29, 2017). "Community Hospital opened Feb. 1, 1921". Star-News. Wilmington, North Carolina. Retrieved January 9, 2026.
  4. ↑ "A Family Affair". North Carolina Museum of History. Raleigh, North Carolina. Retrieved January 9, 2026.
  5. ↑ "University Galleries, N.C. Museum of History to Host Costume Exhibition, "Made Especially for You by Willie Kay"". North Carolina A&T State University. Greensboro, North Carolina. October 15, 2021. Retrieved January 9, 2026.