[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 146 (Wednesday, December 3, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1724]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           HONORING THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF DR. AARON SHIRLEY

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. BENNIE G. THOMPSON

                             of mississippi

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, December 3, 2014

  Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Dr. 
Aaron Shirley, a public health visionary and trailblazer in the medical 
profession, who dedicated his life to bringing medical services to 
underserved rural and urban communities in Mississippi. Not only was he 
great for his medical acumen and creativity in conceiving unique and 
innovative service delivery methods but also for his commitment to the 
cause of equality and civil rights.
  Born in Gluckstadt, MS, Dr. Shirley eventually moved with his family 
to Jackson, MS, where he graduated from Lanier High School. In 1955, 
Dr. Shirley graduated from Tougaloo College and then received a 
scholarship to attend Meharry Medical School in Nashville, TN. After he 
graduated from Meharry in 1959, he moved back to Mississippi to begin a 
general practice. During this time, he held on to a desire to practice 
pediatric medicine. In Mississippi, in 1960, this type of 
specialization seemed an impossibility. Still, Dr. Shirley forged 
ahead, gaining valuable experience practicing family medicine.
  In 1965, Dr. Shirley was invited into the pediatric residency program 
at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. There, he became the 
first Black pediatrician in Mississippi and the first Black resident 
trained at the University of Mississippi Medical Center.
  Dr. Shirley often related a story of being advised by one of his 
mentors to be prepared for white people to not want him to touch their 
kids. However, he quickly saw that this was never the case. He saw that 
when people are in need of medical attention or need help for their 
kids, the divides of race, color, or ideology simply evaporate. This 
realization made him understand that there are often bridges between 
individuals and communities, and from that point on, Dr. Shirley was 
consistently effective at building bridges across communities.
  With this knack for building bridges, and a brilliant mind that 
eventually led to him receiving a MacAuthur `Genius Award' Fellowship, 
Dr. Shirley embarked on a mission to help communities that had very 
little access to the medical care that they badly needed.
  In 1970, Dr. Shirley helped to establish the Jackson-Hinds 
Comprehensive Health Center which has since become the largest provider 
of primary health care services to the poor, uninsured and underserved 
population in central Mississippi. Additionally, he created a 
comprehensive school-based clinic addressing myriad community health 
issues including, drug abuse, mental health issues, and teen violence. 
Both the health center and the clinical program have become models for 
similar programs across the country.
  Dr. Shirley was a visionary. He saw solutions where some people had 
not even recognized that a problem existed. This was the case with the 
Jackson Medical Mall--a one stop shop for medical services and 
treatment. Where most people looked at the dilapidated Jackson Mall 
building and saw an eyesore, Dr. Shirley saw an opportunity, and in 
1997, after much hard work to get stakeholders to buy into the idea, he 
helped establish the Jackson Medical Mall facility which has 
subsequently become one of America's most unique and important 
community health ventures.
  Dr. Shirley was committed to achieving quality outcomes and access to 
medical care. To that end, he looked to a medical system that seemed 
very effective in Iran--using community health workers in `health 
houses' to provide certain services, especially in rural places.
  He saw these health houses as a way of bridging the gap and providing 
a network, through the community health worker, to assure that the 
patient receives the best and most complete care. With this concept in 
mind, in 2010, he founded the HealthConnect program that helps prevent 
unnecessary emergency room visits by sending physicians and nurses 
directly into the homes of people in underserved communities.
  Aaron Shirley's legacy is well-established in this country. Dr. 
Shirley challenged the system to provide services to the less fortunate 
and became a tireless advocate for civil and human rights. He provided 
immeasurable guidance to me during my entire tenure in elective office, 
making me personally indebted to him. Dr. Shirley's impact on our 
community cannot be overstated and his accomplishments will benefit 
generations to come.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the life 
of Dr. Aaron Shirley, a visionary in American medicine, trailblazer for 
rural and underserved communities, and dedicated community leader.

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