| From the Massachusetts Family Institute Last Friday, a giant tree fell in the forest of God's servants and the pro-life movement lost a dear friend and tireless advocate for the unborn. Dr. Mildred Jefferson was the first African-American woman to graduate from Harvard Medical School, the first woman to be a surgical intern at Boston City Hospital and the first woman admitted to membership in the Boston Surgical Society. She also was the recipient of honorary degrees from twenty-eight colleges and universities, but her biggest contribution was her leadership of the pro-life movement, locally and nationally. Dr Jefferson helped to establish the National Right to Life Committee and served three times as its president. At the time of her death, Dr. Jefferson was serving as President of the Right to Life Crusade, Director of NRLC, and Director of Massachusetts Citizens for Life. Dr Jefferson asserted, "I became a physician in order to help save lives. I am at once a physician, a citizen, and a woman, and I am not willing to stand aside and allow the concept of expendable human lives to turn this great land of ours into just another exclusive reservation where only the perfect, the privileged, and the planned have the right to live." Dr. Jefferson was 84. MCFL is planning a public memorial service at Harvard University for all to pay their respects. We will pass along those details when we receive them. | |
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The blog for Massachusetts Citizens for Life: the pro-life movement in the Bay State since 1973.
Doctor Mildred Fay Jefferson was the most eloquent speaker on Right to Life issues who existed on this planet in the 70s, and in the early post-Roe v Wade days she gave a talk in our high school cafeteria. Without a pause, an um, or an uh she delineated why there was no other effort in our contemporary society worthy of our energy than the Right to Life cause. You could hear the proverbial pin drop in that packed gathering, and she galvanized a chapter of MCFL into action - not just discussion. I spent many days and evenings in her presence over the following years, including my three years as President of the organization coming into this millennium. Dr.J was never without her full panoply of arguments, and one memory which has come back several times was when we crossed paths in the State House in Concord, N.H. during some first-in-the-nation Primary days. A lobbyist, supposedly for AARP, somehow did a real cross-over and got into an argument in support of a woman's right to abortion. "If a pregnant woman feels she does not have the situation or resources to become a mother, she should not be forced to be one," he stated with some bluster. With her calm, deliberate way, Mildred paused and clearly articulated, "Sir, she already IS a mother." End of discussion. Dr. J could turn up anywhere, at any time - but now she is everywhere, all of the time. You could disagree with her, hold your ground over an approach, but never could you challenge her total commitment to God's greatest creation: human life and its supremacy in His scheme of creation. She was deeply religious, utterly respectful and unfettered to see the Right to Life cause succeed. It will someday, or society will not. Mildred, we love you and we know your ticket to eternity had multiple stamps on it PAID IN FULL. Rest In Peace. Ray Neary
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