To celebrate Black History Month, Bucks County Community College, in partnership with the Bucks County Board of Commissioners, invites the public to a free, online discussion honoring Dr. Frank Erdman Boston on Feb. 17 at 3 p.m.

Dr. Boston was a World War I veteran, born in Philadelphia and lived in Bucks County. He was one of the first African Americans to start both a hospital and ambulance corps.

In 1934 he founded Elm Terrace Hospital, which later became North Penn Hospital and is now Jefferson-Lansdale Hospital. He also created the First Aide Emergency Squad in Lansdale, now known as the Volunteer Medical Service Corps, which still uses the logo that Dr. Boston helped design.

Diane Ellis-Marseglia, vice-chair of the Bucks County Commissioners, will lead the discussion.

The panel includes Khoi Pham, an illustrator for Marvel and DC Comics. Pham worked with George Whitehair, lead researcher for the Dr. Boston story, and Heather Wilson Pham to create Doc Boston Adventures, a new comic about one of history’s forgotten heroes.

The idea for the comic was to connect history with the younger generation, and “to show that real heroes are regular people, and it is their deeds that make them extraordinary” added Khoi.

The comic is based on a true story when Dr. Boston and a team of volunteers sprang into action to save lives during the massive flood. The story was updated to reflect today’s America, as Doc Boston leads a team of diverse volunteers. More about this project is online.

Other panelists in next week’s discussion are:

• Ouli Sow, Boston Legacy Foundation board member
• Bernard Griggs, Jr., Project and Diversity Officer for the County of Bucks
• Kevin Antoine, Associate Vice President of Community and Government Relations and Chief Diversity Officer at Bucks County Community College

The Frank Erdman Boston panel discussion takes place on Zoom.

It is cosponsored by Bucks County Community College, where diversity, equity, and inclusion are integral components of its goal to provide accessible, affordable, high-quality educational opportunities.

To that end, forums such as this encourage a diverse, robust engagement among students, staff, and the community at large.

To learn more, visit the school’s website.