Mobile Medical Museum

04/16/2026

Congratulations to Dr. Nina Ford-Johnson, who was recently named President of the Medical Association of the State of Alabama! Dr. Ford-Johnson appears in Medicine and the Movement, reflecting on her experience at Meharry Medical College and explaining why she feels it is important for African-American physicians to join and participate in medical associations.

04/15/2026

We're just one month away from the 2026 Mobile Community Health Awards and we can't wait to celebrate the incredible work of all our awardees! Let's meet another member of the Class of 2026, Brenda Rocker.

Brenda E. Rocker has been battling stage four metastasis breast cancer for 28 years. She has survived six different breast cancers, including two that were stage four. She attributes her survival to the grace of God. In 2012, Rocker founded Project Faith Breast Cancer Intervention Program, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization serving uninsured and at-risk women who are under 40 years old. Project Faith BCIP has partnered with USA Children's and Women's Hospital Breast Cancer Center and the Mobile County Health Department to deliver free and low-cost screening mammograms for early breast cancer detection.

04/11/2026

Officials say a fire erupted Friday night at the old Searcy Hospital at Mount Vernon Arsenal, one of the state’s most historic sites.

At least 25 agencies responded to the fire at the Mobile County site, which reportedly started around 8:50 p.m.

The Mount Vernon Historical Society released a statement saying structure on the property was fully involved, and additional structures were affected but had only limited damage.

https://www.al.com/news/2026/04/one-of-alabamas-most-historic-sites-hit-by-fire-friday-night-this-loss-is-deeply-felt.html?utm_campaign=aldotcom_sf&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook

04/10/2026

From our archives: a second edition copy of Medical Inquiries and Observations, upon the Diseases of the Mind, by Dr. Benjamin Rush, the first American text on this subject. Rush was a Philadelphia-based physician and a Founding Father, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. He published this text late in life and based much of it on case studies from his own medical practice. Rush concluded that mental illness was often caused by excessive emotions, excessive s*xual behaviors (especially m*sterb*tion), and excessive consumption of "ardent spirits," or hard liquor. Right around the time that the book was published, Rush's own eldest son, John, was institutionalized at Pennsylvania Hospital for his deteriorating mental health. To learn more about Dr. Rush's treatment of yellow fever and his contradictory views on race and slavery, come see our exhibition, Rebel Distempers: Medicine in Colonial and Revolutionary America.

04/08/2026

The 7th annual Mobile Community Health Leadership Awards reception may be sold out, but that doesn't mean you can't enjoy hearing about all the amazing work of the 2026 class! Next up we have Debra and Reed Pennington of Bake Blue.

Debra Keevan Pennington is a Mobile County native whose life and work have been shaped by education, family, and a deep commitment to helping others grow. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of South Alabama in 1986, followed by a Master of Education with a specialization in English in 1989.
Debra began her career in education, teaching English in Mobile County Public Schools and later serving as an Instructor of Rhetoric and Composition in the English Department at the University of South Alabama. She later spent 18 years working full-time in her family business, Nibrock, Inc. In 2024, Debra retired to begin a meaningful new chapter alongside her son Reed: helping launch Bake Blue Bakery. In August 2025, the two opened Bake Blue in Spanish Fort under a cottage license. Debra’s vision for this season of life is to help Reed achieve his dream of opening a storefront bakery that not only serves great baked goods, but also creates jobs for adults with disabilities and provides a place of belonging, growth, and connection for families.

Reed McMillan Pennington (age 34) was born in Mobile, Alabama, and has built his life around perseverance, purpose, and community. At age 12, Reed was formally diagnosed with high-functioning autism. In 2006, the Pennington family moved to Spanish Fort so Reed could attend Spanish Fort High School, which offered an autism program in a state-of-the-art setting. There, he became involved in Project Outreach, a service club that connects students with disabilities and their non-disabled peers. After high school, Reed searched for a place of employment where he could truly belong and do meaningful work, he and his mother, Debra, began talking about building something of their own. Out of Reed’s love of baking — and a shared desire to create opportunities for others with disabilities — the dream for Bake Blue Bakery was born.

04/04/2026

UPDATE: The MCHLA reception is sold out! Thanks to all who purchased tickets--this is a fundraising event to support our educational and cultural programming throughout the year. We are still accepting event sponsors and tax-deductible donations of any amount! Message us for more information.

04/01/2026

✌TWO. TICKETS. LEFT.✌Who wants 'em? See the link in the comments.

The seventh annual Mobile Community Health Leadership Awards will be presented on May 16, 10 am-12 pm, at the USA Health Strada Patient Care Center. Please meet another one of our wonderful awardees, Eleanor Odom!

Eleanor Odom, MSN, RN, CNL, is a seasoned registered nurse with over 35 years of experience in acute care nursing. Throughout her career, she has served in a wide range of clinical roles, developing deep expertise in patient care, clinical leadership, and healthcare quality. Eleanor is also an instructor and South SIM Manager in health simulation at the University of South Alabama, where she is passionate about educating and mentoring the next generation of nurses. Her work in simulation-based learning helps bridge the gap between theory and practice, equipping students with the confidence and critical thinking skills needed in today’s complex healthcare environment. Eleanor is also a SANE nurse and the Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) Coordinator for the 2 Day Clinical Skills Lab at the University of South Alabama, where registered nurses from all over the United States can come and get the final required component before working as a SANE nurse and sitting for the certification examination. As the founder of Integrity Healthcare Consulting Services LLC, Eleanor provides consulting services focused on clinical excellence, patient safety, staff development, and healthcare system improvement. She is especially passionate about supporting healthcare professionals in navigating burnout, strengthening resilience, and rediscovering purpose in their work. Eleanor is the author of Still Caring: A Nurse’s Guide to Navigating, Recovering From, and Preventing Burnout, a resource designed to empower nurses and healthcare professionals to sustain their passion while protecting their well-being.

03/31/2026

Today is International Transgender Day of Visibility and we want to call attention to the work of Quentin Bell, a transgender rights activist from Selma, Alabama. A few years after his own gender transition, Bell co-founded The Knights and Orchids (TKO) Society with his wife, Jennine. The mission of TKO Society is "to build the power of LGBTQ+ Black people across the south by providing a spectrum of health and wellness services." In a 2022 interview with MS NOW, Bell stated, "Black liberation means the liberation of all Black people, regardless of gender, regardless of orientation, regardless of spirituality."

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03/30/2026

It's National Doctors' Day and we are honoring the legacy of Dr. H. Roger Williams (1869-1929), one of the earliest Black physicians to practice in Mobile. Originally from Louisiana, he arrived here in 1900, shortly after graduating from Meharry Medical College in Nashville. In 1902, he opened the Live and Let Live Drug Store on Dauphin Street (Winzell's Oyster House occupies the site today). Thousands of mourners attended his funeral in 1929, including state and local dignitaries. His obituary in the Press-Forum Weekly described him as a "physician of rare ability, poet of unusual talent, musician of distinct originality, a forceful speaker and energetic civic worker. He was more than a mere man. He was an institution." He was an important mentor to Dr. E.B. Goode, who served as a pallbearer at the funeral.

03/26/2026

Yesterday, we had a visit from Caymond Thrower and Alberto Montenegro. Caymond is the daughter of Robert Thrower, the Poarch Creek elder and ethnobotanist who our garden is named after. We enjoyed showing them the garden and sharing its impact in the community!

03/25/2026

EIGHT TICKETS LEFT...and they're selling like hotcakes so grab 'em while you can!!! See link in comments. 📣📣📣

The seventh annual Mobile Community Health Leadership Awards will be presented on May 16, 10 am-12 pm, at the USA Health Strada Patient Care Center. We will be presenting an award to USA Generation Action and are delighted to introduce you to their outstanding work.

Generation Action is a s*xual health, reproductive rights, and social justice organization at the University of South Alabama affiliated with Planned Parenthood. The chapter advances campus-wide and community-based initiatives centered on education, advocacy, and public health engagement. In collaboration with campus partners and local organizations, Generation Action works to expand access to accurate information, foster inclusive dialogue, and strengthen community. The chapter has hosted a range of programs, including a Q***r Health Panel featuring local LGBTQ+ health leaders, a women’s health panel highlighting the contributions of women of color to gynecology and reproductive health, educational seminars on s*x education and STI prevention led by Planned Parenthood educators, and community service projects. Through these efforts, Generation Action remains committed to educating, empowering, and uplifting both the university and the broader community.

03/25/2026

"When the Sherman brothers were writing songs for Mary Poppins in the early 1960s, one of their children came home from school and told them he had received a polio vaccine on a sugar cube. That small moment — a child describing medicine delivered with a bit of sugar — inspired one of the most famous songs in American film history."

How a Sugar Cube, a Vaccine, and a Generation of Parents Helped End Polio There is a song that most of us can hear in our heads the moment we read the title. Julie Andrews, standing in the nursery …