GREETINGS

BY

-Co EVERETT KOOP, MD

DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR HEALTH
       AND SURGEON GENERAL
US, DEPARTMEbJT OF HEALTH AID HUMAI'4 SERVICES

To THE PARKLAWN CHAPTER OF
BLACKS IN GOVERNMENT (BIG)

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 19S2


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  DR, BRANDT, THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR HEALTH, IS
SPEAKIT4G TO THE FACULTY AND STUDENTS OF THE COLLEGE OF MEDICINE
AT HOPlARD UHIVERSITY TODAY, SO IT IS f1Y PRIVILEGE TO BE HERE
TO REPRESEi;JT HIS OFFICE AldD, INDEED, THE PUBLIC HEALTHSERVICE,

  Iid PRESIDEIdT REAGAN'S MESSAGE ON BLACK HISTORY MOFITH, HE
SAID, "U~dDERSTAlilCIilG OUR PAST IS THE FOUNDATIOCd FOR FULL PARTICI-
PATION Iid THE LIFE OF OUR COWJTRY." I NANT TO EMPHASIZE HIS
USE OF THE WORD "OUR,"  I COi!E HERE TODAY IN THE SPIRIT OF
CELEBRATIldG OUR HISTORY -- BLACK HISTORY, AFRO-AMERICA:! HISTORY,
IS A PART OFK HISTORY, ALSO, THE BLACK PAST IS PART OF /lY
PAST, BLACK LIFE I['1 THIS COUfdTRY IS PART OF FlY LIFE IN THk
COUNTRY,  THIS DESIGNATION OF FEBRUARY AS 1dAEOUAL AFRO-AI1ERICAiJ
-- OR BLACK -- HISTORY MONTH IS IPlPORTANT TO ALL @F US, REGARDLESS
OF OUR COLOR, THIS IS MY T.!OIdTH, TOO,

  AtJD THAT'S NHY I BELIEVE ALL OF US HAVE A JOB TO DO --
TOGETHER -- TO PIAKE LIFE Ikd THE UIJITED STATES A FULFILLED DREAkl
FOR EVERY PERSON, THIS IS THE SPECIAL CHARGE, I THIi'dK, FOR THOSE
OF US Ild THE PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE,  PIE idEED TO REMAIld VIGILAMT
FOR THE PROTECTION OF ALL OUR PEOPLE,,,,VIGILAIdT AGAIFJST DISEASE
AldD AGAIidST HUFdGER, , , , VIGILAldT AGAINST DISABILITIES AldD THE


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HANDICAPS THAT SOCIETY CAid PLACE UPOid THE DISABLED, THE POOR,
THE AGED, AiJD THE DISADVANTAGED ,wVIGILANT AGAItdST PREJUDICE
OF AkJY KIND -- RACIAL OR RELIGIOUS, PREJUDICE AGAIfJST COLOR
OR SEX, PREJUDICE AGAINST OTHER CULTURES AtdD WAYS OF LIFE,

  PUBLIC HEALTH TAKES IFd PHYSICAL HEALTH, FlEi'iTAL HEALTH,
Al-dD SOCIAL HEALTH, THE HISTORY OF PUBLIC HEALTH IS RICH h'ITH
PEOPLE OF EVERY RACE AMD NATIONALITY WHO bJ0RKED TO IMPROVE
THE TOTAL HEALTH OF THE AP?IERICAIJ PEOPLE, THIS MONTH, LET'S
MAKE SURE b/E REMEFIBER THE CONTRIBUTIOtdS MADE BY BLACK MErJ
AtdD WOMEtd FOR MORE THAN TWO CEldTURI ES, CONTRIBUTI OHS THAT
HELPED LAY THE FOUUDATIOtd FOR OUR GEtJERAL IdAT ONAL HEALTH
TODAY,

  AiJD LET'S ALSO MAKE SURE THAT WE IMCLUDE Itd TODAY'S
COMMUtdITY OF PUBLIC HEALTH LEADERSHIP THE JdATIOJdAL MEDICAL
ASSOCIATIOtJ AtJD THE NATIONAL DEtJTAL ASSOCIATIO!J, THE NATIOtdAL
BLACK NURSES ASSOCIATION, THE' ASSOCIATION OF BLACK PSYCHOLOGISTS,
AtJD THEIR VERY IMPORTAtdT STUDENT AFFILIATES, THESE AND OTHER
PREDOMIidAtdTLY BLACK ORGAidIZATIONS OF HEALTH PROFESSIOJdALS HAVE
WDE -- AND WILL CONTINUE TO MAKE -- IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTIOUS

TO BLACK HISTORY, TO PUBLIC HEALTH HISTORY, AMD TO THE HISTORY
OF THIS IdATIOtd, YOUR HISTORY AtdD MINE,


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  IN THE SAME VEIPJ, LET ME SAY THAT THE PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE
IS COMMITTED TO THE GOALS OF THE ADMItdISTRATIOtd'S INITIATIVE TO
HELP THE HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AIJD UNIVERSITIES, LAST
SEPTEMBER, PRESIDENT REAGAN, BY EXECUTIVE ORDER, INSTRUCTED
EVERY FEDERAL DEPARTMENT AIJD AGEfJCY TO DRAW UP A PLAIFFIIR PROVIDII'JG
THIS HELP,

  WHAT WE'RE TALKIIdG ABOUT IS MAKING SURE THAT YOUPIG, TALENTED
BLACK MEN ACdD \JOFlEIJ ATTEldDIidG HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND
UI:IVERSITIES HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR EXCELLEFJCE, SECRETARY
SCHbJEIKER, ASSISTAldT SECRETARY BRANDT, AidD I, TOGETHER WITH THE
HEADS OF EACH PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE AGENCY, JOIU WITH THE PRESIDENT
IN ELIMINATIrdG "REGULATORY BARRIERS,, ,INEQUITIES AllD DISADVANTAGES"
THAT MIGHT PREVEldT THOSE COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES, THEIR STUDENTS,
AiJD THEIR FACULTY FROM FULL PARTICIPATIOtd Iid FEDERAL PROGRAMS

  IJJ FUTURE YEARS, WHEId AFRO-AMERICAN HISTORY MOidTH IS
CELEBRATED, THEY b/ILL BE THE PEOPLE STAbJDING TALL Itd THE
CEREMOJdIES,  I ASK ALL OF YOU TO HELP US MAKE SURE THAT THIS
IS THE PICTURE OF THE FUTURE,

  OJdCE AGAItd, THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THESE FEW MOMENTS OW
THE PROGRAM, AND FOR MYSELF AND FOR ASSISTANT SECRETARY BRANDT,
BEST WISHES Otd TODAY'S ACTIVITIES,