William Cameron, former mayor of Petersburg, Virginia, was inaugurated as governor in 1882. Two of his highest priorities were focused on establishing a state-run college and a psychiatric asylum in Petersburg for the state's black population. He successfully obtained funding for Virginia State College and the Central Lunatic Asylum.
Cameron obtained city funding that enabled the Petersburg Council to purchase Mayfield Plantation as the replacement location for Central State after the state was unable to complete negotiations with the owner to purchase Howard's Grove Hospital in Richmond.
Source: Moore, James Dictionary of Virginia Biography. Cameron, William E. (1842-1927). (2021, February 12). In Encyclopedia Virginia.
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| File Type | jpg | |
| URL | https://www.apaf.org/getmedia/80ead45c-2ae3-4f9b-850b-620627a388cb/51-William-Cameron.jpg | |
| Gallery | Central State Hospital Exhibit | |