The series was started by Dr. William G. Anderson, a trailblazer in osteopathic medicine and civil rights. He became the first African American to be elected national president of the American Osteopathic Association and was a founder of the Albany Movement, a civil rights campaign in Georgia. 

Anderson was also a faculty member in MSU’s College of Osteopathic Medicine. He founded the "Slavery to Freedom" lecture series, which has now been renamed in his honor. 

This month, the series celebrates 25 years of bringing together leaders in various fields to speak about their journeys and advocacy. 

"We hold this series as we commemorate Black histories and Black herstories in this nation," said Marita Gilbert, series leader and associate dean of diversity and campus inclusion for the college. "I think it's important for us to talk about how this nation has moved from slavery to freedom. I think it is important for us to talk about the impact, yes, on individual communities, but the broader impact for us nationally."

One of Gilbert’s main goals for the series is to celebrate legacy and place emphasis on conversations between generations. Intergenerational connection is something Ledet focused on in his talk. 

Ledet is a U.S. Navy Veteran who, while serving in the naval reserves, obtained his masters and Ph.D. from New York University. He went on to receive both his MBA and MD degrees from Tulane University. Ledet is now completing his triple board residency at Indiana University in the fields of pediatrics, psychiatry, and child and adolescent psychiatry. Upon completing his residency, he will be the first Black person to be triple board certified in the history of Indiana University. 

Ledet is also a co-founder and president of The 15 White Coats, a Black physician-led non-profit organization which advocates for and assists with increasing the percentage and representation of African Americans in the medical field.

At the beginning of his lecture, Ledet recited a poem he wrote called "This Freedom, My Ancestors Granted Me."  

Ledet spoke about the history of slavery, his family and his ancestors’ resistance that led him to where he is today. He also spoke about how the resistance continues and his own desire to maintain his connection to those who came before him. 

The ability to speak at events like these, which honor people like Anderson, Ledet said, means that not all is lost and that he is on the right path. 

"I think it means that maybe what I’m doing right now is right," he said. "What I hope it means is that my ancestors approve. I think their approval is so important."

Following his speech, Ledet answered questions from Gilbert and the audience. Second-year medical student in the College of Osteopathic Medicine Brian Phillips moderated the Q&A portion of the lecture. 

"It is always a pleasure to sit with and converse with giants of the medical community and also of the Civil Rights movement," Phillips said. "I just learned so much and being part of that moment means a lot to me."

One intention that Anderson had with the founding of this series was making it accessible and multidisciplinary, Gilbert said, which is why they bring in "dynamic speakers, thought leaders, practitioners (and) advocates."

Ledet is one of two physicians speaking in this year’s series. On Mar. 26, the college will host Dr. Barbara Ross-Lee, who was the first African American woman to serve as dean of a U.S. medical school. The newly added lecture on March 20 will feature freedom rider Joan Mulholland in honor of Women’s History Month. 

It is also important to Gilbert that people are inspired by the words of each lecturer. With Ledet’s lecture, she said, she hoped young people in the audience would see the possibility that Ledet’s journey represents. 

"I hope that there is someone that comes, there's some kid in school that feels like maybe they want to give up, or there's someone who feels like my science teacher never picks on me to answer the questions … and gets to hear him and feels like, you know what, I've seen somebody be successful, and if it's possible for him, then it can be possible for me," Gilbert said. 

Ledet said that this is also part of what he hopes audience members gain from his talks. 

"I think the thing I want them to take away more than anything is that physicians come in a lot of different shades and sizes and different points of hope," Ledet said. "We all come from very different points of hope, and we can all contribute to health care equally."

Tickets for future lectures are available for free on the Wharton Center Website.