At 4 p.m. on April 19, at the Regency Hyatt 400 SE Second Ave. in downtown Miami, two of Miami’s most outstanding physicians, Drs. George A. and Dazelle D. Simpson, will be honored and a scholarship will be established in recognition of their more than 40 years of service to the Greater Miami community.

Dazelle Simpson, a native Miamian, was born in 1924, and grew up during a time when it was almost unheard of for a black woman from the South to become a noted physician. But that was Simpson’s dream and she pursued it by graduating as the valedictorian of her high school class at George Washington Carver in Coconut Grove. She later graduated Magna Cum Laude from Fisk University in Nashville, and from Meharry Medical College, also in Nashville, with highest honors.

Her accomplishments surprised no one who knew her, and Simpson went on to intern at Homer G. Phillips Hospital in St. Louis, and did her residency in pediatrics at Hubbard Hospital of Meharry Medical College. She later became the first African-American board certified pediatrician in Florida.

George Simpson is a native of New York, graduating from Townsend Harris High School and later from City College of New York, in 1946. He later entered Meharry Medical College in Nashville, where he met Dazelle, and graduated in 1950. He served as a rotating intern at Homer G. Phillips Hospital in St. Louis, and as a surgical resident at Meharry Medical College/Hubbard Hospital.

While growing their medical practices, the Simpsons also raised a family and Dazelle also helped run her family’s business. George Simpson became the first board certified African-American general surgeon in Florida and the first African-American to perform surgery at Jackson Memorial Hospital, where he maintained a successful medical practice. Together the doctors have maintained two of the most successful medical practices in the country.

The Simpsons have been married for over 60 years and their contributions to this community and their awards are too numerous to mention here.

Tickets to the event are $150 per person. Reservations are required. Tickets may be purchased by calling Sabrina Madison at 240-205-1746. The Simpsons’ scholarship fund is under the auspices of the South Florida Alumnae Chapter of Meharry Medical College.

A Chorus Line

If you are looking for a pleasant afternoon out, you might want to consider attending A Chorus Line, at 3 p.m. today at the South Miami-Dade Cultural Arts Center, 10950 SW 211th St in Cutler Bay.

The musical, winner of nine Tony Awards, including Best Musical, will feature The New York City Broadway Touring Production. Tickets are $65 and $45 per person and may be purchased by calling 786-573-5300, or going to smdcac.org.

‘Calusa Days’

You are invited to celebrate "Calusa Days" and Florida Archaeology Month, March 23-24 at Everglades National Park’s Gulf Coast Visitor Center, 815 Oyster Bar Lane, Everglades City.

If you go, you will have the opportunity to learn about the prehistory and archaeological resources in the Ten Thousand Islands of Southwest Florida. You will visit the Turner River and Sandfly Island Indian shell mounds, where you will learn about how the Calusa Indians lived. You will also be able to try your hand at atlatl throwing, pottery making, mask painting and lots more. All activities are free except for the boat tours to the shell mounds.

Everglades NationalPark rangers will lead a 45-minute Calusa Nature Walk at 11 a.m., and at 2 and 3 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Boat tours will leave at 9 and 9:15, and 11 and 11:15 a.m., and will include a 20-minute stop and walk at the Turner River complex site. the 90-minute tours cost $40 per adult

Special boat tours to Sandfly Island at 1 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday will include a stop and short walk to a prehistoric shell mound site. the 90-minute boat tour cost $30 per person. To make reservations for the Turner River Mounds tour, go to: www.evergladesnationalparkboattoursgulfcoast.com and select "Mangrove Wilderness" tour.

For the Sandfly Island tour go to the same website and select "10,000 Islands" tour, or you may call 239-695-3311 for more information.

Classical guitar

Arts at St. Johns will present Karen Schoenhals and Friends in concert at 2 p.m. today at St. Johns on the Bay, 4760 Pine Tree Dr. in Miami Beach.

The program featuring Schoenhals, a classical guitarist, will include the works of Rodrigo Villa Lobos, Egberto Gismonti, Sainz De La Maza and the well-known "Aranjuez Concerto" with piano accompaniment. Tickets are 420 at the door; $15 for seniors or online, and free to members of the military and family.

‘The History of Jewish Life in Dade County’

Temple Menorah’s Senior group will present a lecture by renowned Florida historian Paul George at 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday at the temple, 620 75th St. in Miami Beach. George will lecture on "The History of Jewish Life in Dade County."

For more information call Dani Salgado at the temple at 305-866-0221.