Thomas Rudolph Vickers (1879-1965) was born in Key West and graduated from Howard University’s medical school. About 1912 he started a medical practice on Rosemary Avenue, one of seven black pioneer physicians in West Palm Beach. Vickers married Sadie (1887-1941) from Washington, DC, about 1913-1914, with whom he had two sons, Carl R. and Thomas Rudolph, Jr. The Vickers owned a home mortgage-free at 911 First Avenue in the 1920s and 1930s and moved to Palm Beach Lakes Boulevard in 1939.
During segregation, Dr. Vickers provided affordable medical care to the black community.
Vickers’ second wife, Alice (1914-1996), was an opera singer, and together they were considered role models for their achievements and their contributions to the community in service and leadership. He was an ardent Yankees fan until Jackie Robinson started playing for the Dodgers and he went to the World Series every year.
Dr. Vickers was named a Great Floridian in 2000 by the Florida Department of State and the Florida League of Cities.
The Vickers house was restored and operates as a community resource center.