It was just 25 years ago that Gray visited the White House, but for a much different occasion. On May 16, 1997, President Bill Clinton stood in the same room, the East Room, and issued a formal apology for the Tuskegee Syphilis Study in front of Gray's clients, the survivors of the Study. The Tuskegee History Center, which Gray helped establish, continues to stand as the permanent memorial to the 623 men in the Study.
As his formal legal career comes to an end, it is expected that Gray will continue to devote time and energy to working to make the future of the Center an emerging place for local and national dialogue on race. As the wounds of the Tuskegee Syphilis Study still have not yet healed, nor has many America's unresolved matters revolving around race, it is evident that the Center's existence and mission to educate, uplift and inspire current and future generations is now more important than ever.
With great responsibility comes great obstacles, as the lingering impact of the pandemic remains and has crippled non-profit organizations across the nation. As Gray leads the Board and Center personnel, he has expressed concern about its future.
"If people really want to help us, help us keep that museum open," Gray told The Christian Chronicle.