Nashville’s Annual Report from 1945 serves as a guide for the city to evaluate the state of its citizens’ health and to identify the role of local government, but the report unintentionally highlights rampant racism dominant in the city at the time. The report addresses problems facing the city ranging from disease to meat quality. Diseases such as tuberculosis, pneumonia, and premature infant death were priorities for the Nashville Health Department. The Annual Report of 1945 also celebrates the success of the Nashville Health department in reducing the number of cases of communicable diseases like diphtheria, scarlet fever, and measles. The Annual Report methodically evaluates health practices in Nashville, shortages facing the department, and the need for more funding.