February 1, 2002

As MGH and Partners employees filed into the O'Keeffe Auditorium Jan. 25, they were faced with a daunting task: finding an empty seat for a presentation by Julian Bond, PhD, featured guest speaker at the Partners and MGH celebration of the legacy of Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. Currently chair of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Bond boasts a long and distinguished record as a writer, scholar, legislator and educator.

In his speech, Bond (pictured at right, third from left, with MGH employees) drew from his own personal experiences, such as being the grandson of a Kentucky slave, to discuss the changing face of the civil rights landscape in the United States, encompassing present-day issues in the wake of the Sept. 11 tragedy.

Bond, who once was a student of King's, also cautioned against the trend of oversimplifying the late leader's message into something "selective and antiseptic."

"We tend to look backward from the present and see Martin Luther King as he was never seen in life," Bond said. "We share the martyr's dream and marvel at what he was able to accomplish, but we have blurred the picture of the whole man. Today's battle requires no less of an effort than the leaders of the original movement gave, but we should take heart — although there is more to be done, we also have more to do it with."

Ronald A. Greene, RN, of MGH Case Management and chair of the Association of Multicultural Members of Partners, introduced solo vocalist Renese E. King, who performed inspirational music with the Re-Union Choir of Union United Methodist Church. (pictured at left)

Jeff Davis, senior vice president for MGH Human Resources, served as master of ceremonies, introducing James J. Mongan, MD, president of the MGH.

Mongan highlighted some of the hospital's ongoing diversity programs, praising MGHers for their commitment to embracing racial and religious differences before and after Sept. 11. "The immediate response of our employees to bring solace to each other and to our patients in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks illustrates the dedication of our hospital to the true meaning of diversity," he said. "As we struggle along with the rest of the country to make sense of these terrible events, we have the opportunity to keep this renewed sense of unity alive — and to make sure that it endures."

The program closed with remarks by Peter Slavin, MD, chairman and CEO of the Massachusetts General Physicians Organization. After the program, Bond was on hand to greet employees and sign autographs at a reception in the Bulfinch Trustees Room.