The 120th anniversary of the birth of National Hero Dr EF Gordon will be held this week.

The event, hosted by Imagine Bermuda with the Department of Community and Cultural Affairs and the Chewstick Foundation, will take place from noon on Friday at City Hall.

The celebration will honour Dr Gordon and the many residents who played a part in the movement he inspired.

His courage and selflessness helped to galvanise the way for a democratic Bermuda.

The event at City Hall will include music and spoken word presentations by students from the Berkeley Institute, Bermuda High School, CedarBridge Academy, Mount Saint Agnes Academy and Saltus Grammar School.

As well as this focus on youth, the iconic Gene Steede will perform.

In 1944, Dr Gordon responded to a request from artisans who were building the US Naval Bases and who had formed the Bermuda Workers Association to address matters of pay.

With visionary leadership, he expanded the conversation to address the “big picture”. At a time when the electorate was restricted to fewer than 3,000 voters, that movement involved more than 5,000 residents considering a variety of issues.

The matters of pay, segregation, education, health and the right to vote were addressed in a petition, which Dr Gordon took to London in 1946.

A mural of Dr Gordon with the slogan “United we stand, divided we fall” was painted by the Chewstick Foundation at the BIU Headquarters in February as part of events marking the 50th anniversary of the 1965 Belco strike.