, , January 02, 2013 —

In honor of our 75th anniversary, throughout the year we will be taking a walk down memory lane. We will post a different historical picture each month, reflecting our accomplishments since our inception in 1938.

"The Miracle of Hickory"
Pictured: African-American and white children recovering from polio in emergency field hospital funded by the March of Dimes; Hickory, NC; 1944

Historical Note: The polio epidemic in Hickory, NC in 1944 was a cel...ebrated instance where the March of Dimes sent emergency aid, including the construction of a field hospital in a matter of days. This event became known as “The Miracle of Hickory.” During the era of racial segregation in the South, black children were usually segregated from white children in hospital polio wards. In the case of the Hickory field hospital, the March of Dimes did not permit segregation in order to honor its pledge of polio aid provided without regard to race, color, creed or religion.