Good Samaritan Waverly Hospital

(Renovation & Expansion)

 Allen University is currently renovating the historic Good Samaritan-Waverly Hospital, which was one of only a few hospitals to serve Columbia’s African-American community during the segregation era. The hospital operated from 1952 to 1973.

The renovated and expanded hospital will house the Institute for Civility, which will serve as a permanent memorial for the Emanuel Nine, the nine individuals who tragically lost their lives on June 17, 2015 when a gunman entered Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, S.C. It will also house Allen University’s newly approved School of Education, the Dickerson-Green Theological Seminary, and the Waverly Wall Museum Portrait Display.

Allen University will establish the Institute for Civility in honor of the late state Senator Clementa Pinckney, a 1995 graduate of Allen University and former pastor of Mother Emanuel AME Church. A statesman for justice, the late Senator Pinckney encouraged positivity and civility through open dialogue with his fellow colleagues. He was well respected throughout the state of South Carolina and nationally for his call to action for equality and respect of all. To honor the late Senator Pinckney, along with the other eight individuals whose lives were tragically taken, the Institute for Civility will teach students how to handle disagreements and differences of opinions in a nonviolent manner. In addition to the late Senator Pinckney, two other victims of the Emanuel Nine were Allen University graduates, Reverend Daniel Simmons ’67 and Tywanza Sanders ’14.

The Waverly Wall Museum will honor individuals who were not only born in the historic facility but also those who dedicated their time and talents as physicians, nurses, and other essential staff. The Waverly Wall Museum will showcase pictures of these individuals as well as other historic photos while the facility was in operation. Permanent and rotating displays will visually link a significant past to our present and our future, telling an ongoing story of the history of the Waverly Hospital and of our community.

Support the Good Samaritan-Waverly Hospital project by clicking here. For more information on this project, contact the Division of Institutional Advancement at (803) 376-5725.