David Crowley
Press Release

Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley Statement on the Passing of Dr. William Finlayson

 

By - May 12th, 2026 12:56 pm

MILWAUKEE – County Executive David Crowley released the following statement in response to the news regarding the passing of Dr. William Finlayson.

“Milwaukee has lost a true trailblazer. For nearly forty years, Dr. William Finlayson dedicated his life to the women of this community, serving as the first Black OB-GYN at St. Joseph’s Hospital and Mount Sinai Hospital. His presence was a testament to the importance of representation in medicine, but his impact extended far beyond the hospital walls. As a civil rights leader, Dr. Finlayson helped shape the very fabric of Milwaukee. He founded the city’s first Black-owned bank, expanding equal access to financial services for all Milwaukeeans, and played a pivotal role in bringing Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to Milwaukee to lead protests and marches for fair housing.

“Dr. Finlayson’s legacy is a powerful reminder that diverse voices in medicine and in leadership are essential to the overall health of our community. On behalf of Milwaukee County, I extend my deepest condolences to his family, his colleagues, and the thousands of lives he touched.”

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.

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