To the UMB Community:

February is Black History Month, a time when we celebrate Black legacy and strength while recognizing the outstanding contributions and achievements of Black people. We remember impactful leaders and trailblazers, such as:

The Rev. Dr. Pauli Murray, who was born in Baltimore, served on the Presidential Commission on the Status of Women, and co-authored a brief with Ruth Bader Ginsburg for the landmark Reed v. Reed case. Murray compiled and edited the book “States’ Laws on Race and Color,” which was called the “bible” of the Civil Rights movement by Thurgood Marshall; Elijah Cummings, JD ’76, champion of West Baltimore and former chair of the Committee on Oversight and Reform in the House of Representatives; and Dr. Vivien Theodore Thomas, a laboratory supervisor who created a procedure used to treat cyanotic heart disease, previously known as blue baby syndrome. Dr. Thomas was a cardiac pioneer and Baltimore resident.

During Black History Month and every month, we are invited to learn more about and celebrate the fullness of Black experiences — our humanity, achievements, struggles, and triumphs. And we are reminded daily of the struggle we still face with racial injustice, violence, economic and social challenges, and structural oppression. Throughout the pages of history, we see the strength of many who have fought for liberation and justice to fuel our hopes for a more racially just and inclusive society.

Harriet Tubman once said, “Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.”

Black History Month provides us once again with a time to hope, believe, and work to fulfill our ancestors’ dreams of freedom and equality. This month, we celebrate the legacy of Black people and are reminded to reflect on Black history and commit to continue working toward a more just and anti-racist future.

As UMB celebrates Black History Month, we invite you to join us at our 2024 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Black History Month Celebration on Feb. 6 in MSTF Leadership Hall. Register to attend; registration closes at noon tomorrow, Feb. 2.

In collaboration,

Diane Forbes Berthoud, PhD, MA
Chief Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Officer and Vice President, UMB
Professor, Graduate School