Carolina General, a private hospital, opened in 1920 at 103 North Pine Street. It closed in 1964 and, for the 44 years of its operation, was a segregated facility. How was it then, in 1943, that Banks Blow, who was African-American, died at Carolina General rather than Mercy Hospital? (Note that he lived only two block from Mercy Hospital, which was at 504 East Green.) Ordinarily, Blow would have to have been referred by a white doctor to Carolina General for emergency treatment, but no doctor signed this death certificate or is otherwise listed as attending.

Carolina General Hospital, circa 1964. Image courtesy of digitalnc.org.