Dr. Robert Burt was the son of freed slaves who completed medical school at Meharry Medical College

Meharry Medical College

Meharry Medical College, located in Nashville, Tennessee, United States, is a graduate and professional institution affiliated with the United Methodist Church whose mission is to educate healthcare professionals and scientists. Founded in 1876 as the Medical Department of Central Tennessee...

 in Nashville, Tennessee

Nashville, Tennessee

Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...

, with honors in 1897. He soon set up practice in Clarksville, Tennessee

Clarksville, Tennessee

Clarksville is a city in and the county seat of Montgomery County, Tennessee, United States, and the fifth largest city in the state. The population was 132,929 in 2010 United States Census...

. He operated an infirmary and later the only hospital in the city of Clarksville from 1904 to 1916. He was an active member of the community until his death in 1955.

Doctor Burt initially offered services to members of the African American community, but soon offered his skills as physician and surgeon to all who were in need of medical assistance. He is remembered as a highly skilled surgeon and community leader with one school and one community center named in his memory in Clarksville.