Dr. William Finlayson, a trailblazing Black physician who was also a prominent civil rights figure in Milwaukee, died Monday at age 101, according to a press release from his family.
Dr. Finlayson was the first Black OB-GYN at St. Joseph's Hospital and Mount Sinai Hospital, delivering nearly 10,000 babies over his four-decade career.
His decades of service left a mark on medicine and community health in Southeast Wisconsin.
Watch: Milwaukee Tonight celebrates life of Dr. William Finlayson
Dr. Finlayson was active during Milwaukee's early civil rights movement in the 1950s and 60s, and he continued that engagement throughout his life.
He also helped to establish Milwaukee's first Black bank.
A graduate of Morehouse College, Dr. Finlayson earned his medical degree at Meharry Medical College and completed his residency at the University of Minnesota. During his time at Morehouse, he established his long friendship with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Dr. Finlayson's family has announced the details for his memorial services. They will be at Abundant Faith Church of Integrity at 7830 West Good Hope Road in Milwaukee at the following dates and times:
- Visitation - Friday, May 22, 2026 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM
- Visitation and Wake - Saturday, May 23, 2026, 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM
- Funeral Service - Saturday, May 23, 2026, 11:00 AM
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