Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Initiatives - Silver
A Crucial Step to Healing: Honoring Dr. Marion G. Hood
Emory University School of Medicine
In 1959, Dr. Marion G. Hood applied to Emory School of Medicine but was denied consideration for admission due to his race. Despite this obstacle, Dr. Hood went on to earn his degree elsewhere and have a long and distinguished career in the field of gynecology and obstetrics. On behalf of Emory School of Medicine, Dean Vikas P. Sukhatme wrote and shared a formal apology letter with Dr. Hood and invited him to share his story with the Emory community. “Giving Voice: The Rest of His Story With Dr. Marion G. Hood” was held on June 17, 2021, to coincide with the School of Medicine’s celebration of Juneteenth. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the in-person event included approximately 20 Emory students, leaders, and Dr. Hood’s family, appropriately distanced and masked, in Convocation Hall on Emory’s campus in Atlanta. The event was shared and recorded via Zoom.
What was the most impactful part of your award-winning entry?
The opportunity to issue a long-overdue apology, acknowledge Emory’s role insegregation, and give voice to Dr. Hood’s story — amplifying his story in his own words and honoring his contributions to medicine.
What is one thing you learned from this experience?
From a communications standpoint, amplifying Dr. Hood’s story while ensuring that the event was not performative, or a media spectacle, but a genuine apology and conversation among students, faculty, and Dr. Hood was an important learning experience.
Contact: Elizabeth Thompson