Dr. Dorothy Brown accomplished many great feats, and, we are so proud that her story began right here at Vanderheyden as an infant at the Troy Orphan Asylum.   

 

On January 7, 1914, Dr. Brown was born to Emma and Junius Brown in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  She entered our Baby House on Spring Avenue, now called Vanderheyden's Bessey House, on July 14, 1914.  She left the Troy Orphan Asylum on July 31, 1926, but came back to our agency after she ran away from her mother five times.   

 

Dr. Brown was the first African-American woman to make strides in both the medical and legislative fields.   

 

As the first African-American woman elected to the Tennessee General Assembly in the 1960s, Dr. Brown sponsored legislation to create Negro History Week in the Volunteer State, which led to the establishment of the national Black History Month.  

 

   

Dr. Brown was the first female African-American surgeon in the Southeastern United States, and was the first single female in Tennessee to legally adopt a child.

 

She was also the third woman to become a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, and was the first African-American woman to be elected.   

 

The Women's Residence at Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tennessee was named after her, and honorary degrees from Russell Sage College and Bennett College in Greensboro, North Carolina were bestowed upon her.

 

Dr. Brown received many awards, including the Horatio Alger Award and the Carnegie Foundation's humanitarian award. 

 

      

 

  TAJANI REACHING HER GOAL 

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

There are a few things Tajani will miss when she leaves.

 

"The Dance Team and the school, and going to Cottage Night with my peers and staff," she said.

 

Tajani said her two coaches Kelly Pena and Marichalen Capellan are her role models, and they give her good advice.  

 

"They make sure I go to class," she said. "They talk to me about my grades."

 

Kelly Pena, a Certified Teaching Assistant at the school's gym said Tajani is making the Vanderheyden community proud of her.  

 

"Tajani has truly done her best this year to focus more on her growth, rather than being involved in negative behaviors," Pena said. "I've seen so much growth in Tajani over the years that proves she has the potential to succeed in life. Keep up the good work!"

 

Marichalen Capellan is her dance coach.....

 

Besides experiencing new activities, Tajani said Vanderheyden helped her in different ways.

 

"Anything they help you with," she said. "Your daily routine, and don't act up in the streets."

Vanderheyden also helped her with her daily routine, she said.

 

"They helped me to go to school every day and follow the rules," Tajani said. "Because, I was a handful when I was home."

 

Tajani is also known for helping other individuals in the program if they ask her for help.

 

"Say it's a new person we get, and they don't know anything about the program," she said. "I'll be like this is where you do this, and then put this there."  

 

She also has advice for those entering our program.

 

"Good luck here, do good here," Tajani said. "Follow the rules, and don't do anything bad that would make you stay longer."

 

Her goal after leaving Vanderheyden is to one day become a day care worker.  

 

Smart, very social and sensitive. Traits that will help Tajani reach her goal successfully.

 

Thank you, Tajani, for being a part of the Vanderheyden family.