Cardiac Trailblazer
Medical pioneer Levi Watkins Jr., opened doors to make Johns Hopkins a more inclusive place. Now the Johns Hopkins Outpatient Center will bear his name.
Photos by Will Kirk
More than 150 people gathered on June 8 to celebrate the renaming of the Johns Hopkins Outpatient Center in honor of cardiac surgery trailblazer Levi Watkins Jr., Johns Hopkins Medicine’s first Black chief resident and full professor, who is also remembered for his pioneering mentorship and recruitment of underrepresented minorities.
In 1980, Watkins performed the world’s first implantation of an automatic heart defibrillator in a human, introducing a surgical procedure that would save the lives of countless patients experiencing a sudden interruption in the natural rhythm of their heartbeat.
As an associate dean and treasured mentor at the school of medicine, he established the nation’s first postdoctoral association, became a tireless advocate for fairness and diversity, and spearheaded a drive to recruit minority applicants. In 1982, he launched the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Commemoration. Watkins died in 2015 at age 70.
Leading up to the building renaming, part of the university’s Diverse Names and Narratives Project, the Johns Hopkins Day of Service celebrated Watkins’ legacy with a mural painting project open to all members of the community in May. The resulting artwork now adorns the walls of the outpatient center. Hub staff report
Watch a video that celebrates the life and legacy of Levi Watkins Jr: Bit.ly/WatkinsRenaming
The mural painting project, led by Creative Nomads, unfolded over two days in May and drew students, staff and faculty members, including Sherita Golden (center), vice president and chief diversity officer for Johns Hopkins Medicine.