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Regular Session, 2011
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 132
BY SENATOR DORSEY
COMMENDATIONS. Commend Dr. Jonathan Roberts for his many contributions to public
healthcare in Louisiana and for his authorship of the book, "A History of the Charity
Hospitals of Louisiana - A Study of Poverty, Politics, Public Health, and the Public Interest."
A RESOLUTION1
To commend and congratulate Dr. Jonathan Roberts for his many contributions to public2
healthcare in Louisiana and for his authorship of A History of the Charity Hospitals3
of Louisiana: A Study of Poverty, Politics, Public Health, and the Public Interest.4
WHEREAS, Dr. Jonathan Roberts, along with Thomas Durant, has coauthored A5
History of the Charity Hospitals of Louisiana: A Study of Poverty, Politics, Public Health,6
and the Public Interest, a book about the Charity Hospital System of Louisiana which has7
provided healthcare for the poor and vulnerable populations and trained physicians and other8
healthcare professionals for more than two and a half centuries, beginning in New Orleans,9
and which describes the founding and growth of the system of ten public hospitals in10
Louisiana and examines the role of race, class and gender in the system's development; and11
WHEREAS, the book is the result of five years of research and traces the system's12
origins to the founding of its first hospital in New Orleans in 1735, beginning what remains13
to be the oldest continuously operating hospital system in the nation; and14
WHEREAS, the book offers insight to the meaning of the name Charity Hospital,15
which did not indicate free care, but was derived from the order of Catholic nuns, the16
Daughters of Charity, who began working at the New Orleans hospital soon after its17
founding and were instrumental in its development for generations; and18 SR NO. 132
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WHEREAS, countless interviews were conducted for the book, including former1
Governor Edwin Edwards and the late BB "60" Rayburn, former state representative and2
senator; and3
WHEREAS, the book discusses the influence of race, class, and gender on the4
development of the hospital system, including the history of desegregation in the hospital5
system, and the fact that African American doctors couldn't treat patients in Charity Hospital6
until 1965; and7
WHEREAS, women were also critical in the hospital system's development,8
including the work of the Daughters of Charity, the introduction of female physicians, and9
the start of nursing education; and10
WHEREAS, the only history to date of the state public hospital system, the book is11
a comprehensive study of how poverty, politics, public health, public interest, race, gender12
and class contributed to the history of one of the largest, and most storied, public healthcare13
systems in the nation and is a must read for anyone involved with studies in healthcare14
management, public policy, nursing, sociology, Louisiana History, or African American15
studies; and16
WHEREAS, the authors of the book have done a great service to Louisiana by17
recounting the history of the charity hospitals of Louisiana, including its efforts to provide18
medical care to the poor and training to medical professions, as prior to this book, a19
comprehensive history of all of the charity hospitals of Louisiana had not been written, and20
in general, this book fills an important void in the history of Louisiana's unique public21
hospital system by recounting the development of charity hospitals during different historical22
stages that span a period of more than 260 years; and23
WHEREAS, Dr. Jonathan Roberts is a striking example of the power of perseverance24
and vision as he overcame many obstacles to become a leader in both his community as well25
as in the medical profession; and26
WHEREAS, having grown up in the segregated South, Dr. Roberts attributes much27
of his success to a sheer determination and a strong educational foundation, including the28
completion of a Baccalaureate of Science from Southern University and both a Master and29
Doctorate of Public Health from Tulane University, and upon receiving his doctorate, Dr.30 SR NO. 132
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Roberts became the first African American to earn the doctoral degree through the School1
of Public Health; and2
WHEREAS, he has served as Chief Academic Officer at LSU Health Sciences3
Center and CEO of Earl K. Long Memorial Hospital, New Orleans Charity Hospital, and4
University Hospital; was assistant secretary of the Department of Health and Hospitals and5
director of the Charity Hospital System from 1980 to 1984; and has been an Associate6
Professor and Director of the Wellness Program with the Southern University System; and7
WHEREAS, he has also served as Director of Human Resources at Our Lady of the8
Lake Regional Medical Center and his rich experiences and accomplishments prepared him9
to become the Deputy Director of the National Hansen's Center located in Carville,10
Louisiana; and11
WHEREAS, while sustaining a thriving career, Dr. Roberts also maintained a firm12
commitment to his community, where he served as chief consultant to the Baton Rouge13
Chapter of The Links, Incorporated and aided the organization in fashioning an award-14
winning study of the health and social services systems in Louisiana.15
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana16
does hereby commend and congratulate Dr. Jonathan Roberts for his many contributions to17
public health care in Louisiana and for his authorship of A History of the Charity Hospitals18
of Louisiana: A Study of Poverty, Politics, Public Health, and the Public Interest.19
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to Dr.20
Jonathan Roberts.21
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Jerry J. Guillot.
DIGEST
Dorsey SR No.
Commends Dr. Jonathan Roberts for his many contributions to public health care in
Louisiana and for his authorship of A History of the Charity Hospitals of Louisiana: A Study
of Poverty, Politics, Public Health, and the Public Interest.