Continuing the Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

My mother always taught me about the importance of equal rights for all. She was actively involved in the civil rights movement, working to ensure her children and future generations would have equal opportunity to realize their potential in a more just society. It may surprise you to learn that one of the things that inspired me to pursue my dreams was a roll of toilet paper!

Why is this roll of toilet paper so important?

On February 21, 1961, my mother, Tillie Bing Bryant, a student at Morris College, and her classmates should have been in class or studying. However, these students had a higher calling. They were fighting to ensure equal rights for all Americans during the civil rights movement. On this day, she participated in a lunch counter sit-in at a Kress Five and Dime store in Sumter, SC.

As a result of the sit-in, sheriff’s officers were called. The students were threatened with police dogs and water hoses before being dragged off to jail. My mother was arrested several times during the civil rights movement, and during this particular jail stay, she wrote her story on a roll of jail house toilet paper. She described her fight for equality and freedom and why it was important to her. The passage on the roll that means the most to me is when she writes to her mother who told her not to “get in jail.” She explains, “Mommy, I don’t mind being in jail, as long as I know one day, when I have children of my own, they will have privilege and can do the things we are fighting so hard for today.”

I grew up looking at this roll of toilet paper, proudly displayed in our china cabinet, and learning about the value of fairness, equality, diversity and inclusion through my mother’s stories and the stories of other civil rights heroes.

Those lessons have shaped who I am today, and I have the privilege of continuing my mother’s work and the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The foundation they built has allowed me to be a leader in business and in my community. I am inspired to help build a better world which creates opportunities for my son and future generations.

And, there's no better company for me to continue their legacies than Johnson & Johnson.

As the world’s largest and most broadly-based healthcare company, Johnson & Johnson touches billions of lives every day with our products and services, and we strive to create healthier communities around the world. We believe that diversity and inclusion (D&I) are key drivers of our business success, and our 140,000 employees have created a culture of inclusion to better serve the needs of our patients, consumers, and customers. At Johnson & Johnson, D&I is about appreciating everyone’s unique perspective. It’s about bringing together all backgrounds, beliefs and the entire range of human experience—to create a deep sense of belonging for our employees that enables us to change the trajectory of health for humanity. (You Belong: D&I Impact Review) 

We are also guided by Our Credo which recognizes the value of Diversity & Inclusion and outlines our responsibility to be good citizens and serve communities around the world. Throughout the year, we work to support our employees’ passions and their efforts to be positive forces in the world. That is particularly true on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, when we celebrate his life, legacy, and courageous efforts to advance a more inclusive society. It is our hope that on this National Day of Service, our employees in the United States and Puerto Rico will be inspired to live into Our Credo values and honor Dr. King’s legacy by giving back to our communities.

Dr. King and my mother’s stories are constant reminders to me that no matter what drives us or inspires us, we have to take action in order to make a difference.