MIAMI — A Coconut Grove street now bears the name of two physicians whose work helped break racial barriers in medicine and shaped generations of doctors across South Florida.
The City of Miami has renamed a one-block stretch in front of the longtime home of Drs. George and Dazelle Simpson as George and Dazelle Simpson Way, honoring the couple’s decades of service to the community and their lasting influence far beyond their neighborhood.
The Simpsons, a pioneering medical power couple, were among the first Black physicians in Miami-Dade County.
Together, they built careers that opened doors for others in the medical field while caring for many families across the county, the state and the nation.
Their impact extended well beyond patient care. Many of those they treated went on to become doctors themselves, inspired by seeing physicians who looked like them and lived in their community.
Former patient Dr. Nelson Adams recalled deciding as early as second grade to pursue medicine because his pediatrician was someone he knew and trusted.
“You know, I’ll tell you, when, in 2nd grade, I said I was gonna be a doctor, maybe because my pediatrician was somebody that I knew to a great degree,” Dr. Adams said. “It was people like The Simpsons who encouraged me, inspired me, and gave me that proverbial atta boy.”
Dr. Dazelle Simpson previously said her calling came early.
“I’ve always wanted to be a doctor since I was 4,” she said in a 2013 interview. “Then I decided I wanted to take care of children. I didn’t know the word pediatrician at that time.”
She credited her grandfather, E.W.F. Stirrup -- one of Coconut Grove’s Black pioneers -- for inspiring her.
“He said, ‘Go for it,’” she recalled. “He didn’t say you can be a nurse. He said, ‘I want you to be a doctor so that you’ll be independent.’”
Dr. George Simpson often described his wife as both a professional partner and a personal inspiration.
“She’s been a source of inspiration in many areas,” he said. “I’m still, in many instances, in awe of her.”
The street renaming had been years in the making, with the nonprofit Profiles in Black Miami playing a key role in pushing the effort forward. At the unveiling ceremony, speakers praised the city for formally recognizing the couple’s legacy.
“The city of Miami got it right,” one speaker said, as the new street sign was revealed.
The Simpsons’ commitment to education also carried into their family.
Their two sons went on to distinguished academic paths, one graduating from Harvard Business School and the other from Morehouse College -- a reflection, they say, of parents who modeled hard work, perseverance and service.
“They were just very committed, hardworking people and that’s what they instilled in me and, and my brothers, that, don’t take no,” said son George Simpson Jr.
For the Simpson family and the community they served, the renamed street stands as a permanent reminder of a legacy built on care, courage and breaking barriers.
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