By Danielle Pierce 

 VCU Health unveiled a mural and renamed the McGlothlin Medical Education Center auditorium in honor of Bruce Oliver Tucker, whose involuntary sacrifice greatly contributed to the advancement of transplantation and medicine in the commonwealth. 

This event symbolizes a milestone in the health system’s efforts to reckon with its past and honor Tucker’s legacy.   

Tucker, an African American man, who grew up in nearby Dinwiddie County, died on May 25, 1968. Without the consent or knowledge of Tucker’s family, surgeons at the Medical College of Virginia removed his heart and kidneys and placed his heart into a white man – Virginia’s first, and the world’s 16th human cardiac transplant.  

For the past two years, leaders from the health system, representatives from Tucker’s family, and community leaders have worked together to identify ways to honor Tucker and raise awareness about his story and his impact at VCU Medical Center and the transplantation community. 

“The renaming of the auditorium and the creation of this mural are part of our broader commitment to honor Mr. Tucker’s legacy,” said Marlon Levy, M.D., senior vice president for VCU Health Sciences and CEO of VCU Health System. “While we cannot change the past, we humbly acknowledge its impact and remain committed to learning from it. We will continue working alongside Mr. Tucker’s family to foster healing, reconciliation, and restoration within the community.” 

"After more than 56 years, the family of Bruce Oliver Tucker is grateful to VCU Health for its efforts to demonstrate accountability, integrity and compassion,” said Gayle Turner, Tucker Family representative. “We continue to grieve the unjust and inhumane treatment of our beloved Bruce. Yet, we also look with hope toward seeing more efforts by today’s more enlightened healers to lift up Bruce Tucker as an icon of hope and change.  We thank VCU’s gifted arts students and their brilliant mentor, Hamilton Glass, for envisioning and creating a truly world-class mural to serve as an inspiration for all to never forget the value and dignity of every human being.” 

A photo of Bruce Tucker was used by the mOb studiO as inspiration for the second part of the mural installed at VCU's School of Medicine. (Kevin Morley, Enterprise Marketing and Communications) 

The mural and auditorium are located within the McGlothlin Medical Education Center and was chosen specifically for its placement and central location within VCU’s School of Medicine. 

“We can’t move forward to a brighter future if we don’t come to terms with our past. Progress is not solely measured by the ‘new’ good that we do, but it is often built upon painful history from which we must learn,” said Art Saavedra, M.D., Ph.D., MBA, dean of the VCU School of Medicine and VCU Health’s executive vice president for Medical Affairs. “This impactful artwork is a fitting commemoration of Mr. Tucker’s sacrifice. And its strategic placement in the figurative heart of the medical educational space will serve as a powerful lesson to our future physicians, affirming that the welfare of patients and their families is a sacred bond, inseparable from the privilege and responsibility of caregiving.” 

The mural, prominently displayed outside the newly named Bruce Oliver Tucker Auditorium, was conceptualized and designed by a group of students from VCU’s middle Of Broad (mOb) studiO.  

The students worked closely with Tucker’s family and acclaimed Richmond artist, Hamilton Glass, to create imagery that captured Tucker’s lasting impact at VCU Health, VCU, and beyond. Glass took the students’ renderings and brought their vision to life in a vibrant tribute to highlight Tucker’s image, his story, and the ongoing pursuit of justice in his name.  

“My hope is that the mural serves as a tool for education and unity,” Glass said. “I want it to be both an awakening and a revitalization of history, while also sending a powerful message to students, families, and everyone who sees it. More than artwork, I hope it fosters a sense of trust between the hospital and its patients, strengthening the bond between the institution and the community it serves.” 

The mural and auditorium dedication are part of a comprehensive initiative by VCU Health to honor Tucker. Additional projects include a historical marker from the state’s Highway Marker Program in Tucker’s hometown of Dinwiddie County, the installation of commemorative plaques that acknowledge his legacy throughout VCU Medical Center, the creation of a healing garden, the establishment of scholarships in his name, and several initiatives related to educating future medical professionals. 

Members of Bruce Tucker's family in attendance at the mural and auditorium dedication.(Kevin Morley, Enterprise Marketing and Communications) 

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