dgar P. Benjamin was a distinguished African-American attorney and community leader who was well known throughout Boston. He was a man of intelligence, dignity and compassion with a vision beyond his time. Mr. Benjamin believed strongly in equality and opportunity for all. He believed that everyone deserves to be treated with dignity, respect and compassion. And, he put his beliefs into action. In a time when segregation and prejudice were still prominent, Mr. Benjamin set about making a positive difference in his community by bringing his vision and beliefs to fruition.

Mr. Benjamin did not limit himself or live within boundaries that he felt were unjust or without merit. And, he never let his own ethnic background stop him from achieving whatever he desired. After graduating Laude from Boston University School of Law in 1894, Mr. Benjamin was admitted to the Massachusetts and United States Supreme Court Bars. It wasn't long before Mr. Benjamin had established himself as a talented and sought-after attorney. He served as indictment clerk for the District Attorney and opened his own law office on Tremont Street in Boston. He also served as Vice President of the Law Society of Massachusetts.

Of all Mr. Benjamins' countless contributions to the moral and economical advancement of his community, by far one of most important gifts to humanity was the creation of the Resthaven Home; the predecessor to today's Benjamin Healthcare Center. In 1927, Mr. Benjamin purchased an estate on Mission Hill that would house Resthaven. He also financed renovations to the property and used his influence to drum up community support for his venture.

He established the home with the dream of "providing a home or shelter for and to otherwise assist indigent persons without regard to race, creed or color." And, at a time when the majority of health care facilities still catered to separate races, Resthaven became a place of comfort and dignity for all. Renamed to honor its founder, the Benjamin Health Care center continues to live up to the vision that spurred its creation. Today, the Center is bringing Mr. Benjamin's dream into the future by continuing to ensure that Boston's culturally diverse population has access to high quality nursing and rehabilitation services.

Undoubtedly, Mr. Benjamin would be pleased today if he were to walk through the facility that honors his memory. He would smile as he looked into the faces of the staff and residents who represent a wide spectrum of social, economic and ethnic backgrounds. He would feel great pride as he witnessed the dignity, compassion and respect that is shared by all those who work and live in the home that now bears his name.