HR1797: HR1797 Grady Memorial Hospital; rename to Grady-Bell Memorial Hospital; urge

26 LC 112 3837 House Resolution 1797 By: Representatives Bell of the 75th, Cannon of the 58th, Gilliard of the 162nd, Williams of the 168th, Jackson of the 165th, and others A RESOLUTION Urging for the renaming of Grady Memorial Hospital to Grady-Bell Memorial Hospital; and1 for other purposes.2 WHEREAS, Grady Memorial Hospital has long stood as one of Georgia's most significant3 public healthcare institutions, serving generations of Atlantans and residents across the state;4 and5 WHEREAS, the hospital is named in honor of Henry Grady, a historical figure who, while6 influential in shaping the "New South" narrative, was also documented as an outspoken white7 supremacist whose public speeches and writings promoted racial hierarchy and opposed8 Black political and social equality; and9 WHEREAS, numerous institutions across the nation have set a pre cedent by reevaluating10 and, where appropriate, removing the names of historical figures whose legacies are rooted11 in racism and exclusion in order to better reflect contemporary values of equity, dignity, and12 justice; and13 H. R. 1797 - 1 - 26 LC 112 3837 WHEREAS, Dr. Roy Charles Bell Sr. was one of Atlanta's first Black dentists, a respected14 civic leader, and a courageous civil rights activist who played a pivotal role in advancing15 healthcare equity; and16 WHEREAS, Dr. Bell led the legal effort that forced the desegregation of Grady Memorial17 Hospital through the landmark 1962 United States Supreme Court ruling in Bell v.18 Fulton-DeKalb Hospital Authority, which held that public hospitals receiving federal funds19 could not lawfully operate on a segregated basis; and20 WHEREAS, this historic victory not only desegregated Grady Memorial Hospital but also21 accelerated the dismantling of segregation within public hospit al systems throughout the22 American South; and23 WHEREAS, Dr. Bell's leadership challenged the very discriminatory practices that defined24 the era in which the hospital operated and ensured that access to care would no longer be25 denied on the basis of race; and26 WHEREAS, the Fulton-DeKalb Hospital Authority was compelled to comply with27 constitutional principles of equal protection as a result of Dr . Bell's advocacy and legal28 action; and29 WHEREAS, renaming the institution to Grady-Bell Memorial Hospit al would preserve30 historical continuity while affirmatively recognizing a local hero whose legacy aligns with31 the hospital's mission to provide equitable, compassionate care to all people.32 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that33 the members of this body urge the appropriate governing authori ties to take all necessary34 H. R. 1797 - 2 - 26 LC 112 3837 steps to rename Grady Memorial Hospital to Grady-Bell Memorial Hospital in honor of Dr.35 Roy Charles Bell Sr., whose life and legacy advanced justice, e quality, and access to36 healthcare for all Georgians.37 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the House of Representatives is authorized38 and directed to make appropriate copies of this resolution avai lable for distribution to the39 public and the press.40 H. R. 1797 - 3 -