The City of Hampton dedicated a Heritage marker Saturday morning to recognize three Black nurses who, in 1963, risked their careers to challenge segregation at Dixie Hospital in Hampton.

The women, known as the Dixie Three — Mildred Smith, Patricia Taylor and Agnes Stokes — made history when they protested the segregated staff areas by sitting in the hospital’s whites-only cafeteria.

Their act of defiance led to a legal battle that would ultimately result in a historic victory.

  

The marker sits at the former site of Dixie Hospital, which is now the Hunter B. Andrews PreK-8 School.

Mayor Jimmy Gray spoke at the ceremony, emphasizing the importance of recognizing those whose contributions to history often go unnoticed.

“Often history is made quietly, gradually, by ordinary men and women whose names are not known beyond their hometowns,” Gray said. “These three ladies made a profound statement with the simple act of sitting down to eat.”

In 1963, when the Dixie Three refused to accept the segregated lunchroom for Black staff, they were dismissed from their positions. Though their initial lawsuit was dismissed by the U.S. District Court, the U.S. 4th Circuit Court of Appeals later ruled in 1966 that their constitutional rights had been violated. The court ordered their reinstatement and awarded them full back pay, setting a significant legal precedent for civil rights in the workplace.

In celebration of their legacy, a locally produced documentary about the Dixie Three will be screened at the Chrysler Museum in Norfolk on Feb. 22 as part of Black History Month celebrations.