This Street Was Just Re-Named After a Treasured Milwaukeean
Originally published on Milwaukee Magazine 8/9/23
One of Milwaukee’s prominent figures in health and finance, Dr. William Edward Finlayson, can now add a new accolade to his long list of achievements: having a street named after him in the city he served for nearly six decades.
On Tuesday, Aug. 8, 5th Street between West Capitol Drive and West Walnut Street was officially named N. Doctor William Finlayson Street in honor of the doctor and entrepreneur. The renaming ceremony took place on the corner of 5th and North, the location of Finlayson’s first office in Milwaukee.
Finlayson, affectionately known as “the baby doctor,” practiced obstetrics and gynecology for nearly 40 years, delivering what is estimated to be nearly 10,000 children in the city of Milwaukee, a handful of whom were at the ceremony on Tuesday. He was the first Black doctor at St. Joseph’s and Sinai Hospitals, and aided in the merging of the two institutions.
Finlayson also opened the state’s first Black-owned bank, North Milwaukee State Bank, where he worked to support economic opportunity and financial stability for his community, later becoming the President of the Garfield Foundation, which supported the Opportunities and Industrialization Center, dedicating his entire lifetime to serving those around him.
Albert L Smith, Master of Ceremonies and representative of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, the oldest intercollegiate historically African American fraternity of which Finlayson has belonged for 80 years and counting, opened the ceremony.
“Milwaukee has many streets including people who have made an impact on the city including Juneau, Kilborn, Cass Street and more,” says Smith. “Now, we have a street to honor Dr. Finlayson, a towering figure in Milwaukee history.”
The ceremony took place during the 12th Annual Bronzeville Week, a celebration of Milwaukee’s African-American culture, history, art, commerce and entertainment in one of the central arteries of Milwaukee. District Six Alderwoman Milele A. Coggs was a major force in making this street renaming a reality, and spoke during the ceremony.
“Doctor Finlayson’s legacy is alive in the street where people will work, travel on and live everyday,” says Coggs.
Even in his youth, Finlayson was a brilliant man. After serving in the army during WWII, Finlayson attended Morehouse College, where he went to school with pioneers like Samuel DuBois Cook, Robert E. Johnson and the incredible Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. His impact on the Black community is being honored by the street running next to Vel R. Phillips Avenue and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, two other pioneering Black forces.
“Where many people saw problems, Dr. Finlayson saw solutions,” said Terrell Freeman, Chapter President of Delta Chi Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity.
Finlayson’s family and friends gathered to honor the doctor, with Finlayson himself sitting front and center at the age of 98. Dr. Eve M Hall, President and CEO of the Greater Milwaukee Urban League announced they will be resurrecting the W.E.B Dubois Club, an initiative close to Dr. Finlayson’s heart, which helps young African-American men develop financial security through investment education, leadership skills development and more. Celia Gore, a friend of the family, announced they will be donating $10,000 to the W.E.B. Debois Club.
“We all know about generational wealth,” said Gore. “But I want to talk about generational pride. We are so fortunate to have people serving this purpose. The entire Finlayson family is a stellar example of this kind of achievement.”
Several of Finlayson’s family members and close friends were in attendance to honor the doctor’s incredible lifetime of achievements, including his daughter Sheila M. Finlayson who is an Alderwoman in the city of Annapolis. After the speeches, Dr. Finlayson was brought to the corner of 5th and North, to see the official unveiling of the new sign. “It feels like an honor,” says Finlayson.
