Celebrating Black History Month: Dr. Mary Frances Berry

The College of Behavioral and Social Sciences joins with the UMD community in celebrating Black History Month 2025. As part of this celebration, we reflect with pride on the enduring legacy of one of our visionary leaders, Dr. Mary Frances Berry.

Dr. Berry, a world-renowned activist and pioneer in championing racial and gender equality and rights, joined UMD in 1970. She served as the Director of Afro-American Studies, what is now the Department of African American and Africana Studies, and was appointed in 1974 to lead the Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences, what is now the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences. 

In heading the Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Dr. Berry became the first African American woman at the University of Maryland to hold such a senior executive position.

Dr. Berry then went on to earn other record-breaking promotions—including being the first woman to head a major research university as Chancellor of the University of Colorado at Boulder in 1976. Dr. Berry was named Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare in 1977; was appointed Chairwoman of the U.S. Civil Rights Commission in 1980; and more.

In 2023, as Dr. Berry visited UMD to deliver the Feller Lecture, she said that her success was greatly influenced by the experiences she had as a University of Michigan Ph.D. and J.D. student. 

At that time, Dr. Berry traveled to Vietnam as a war correspondent for campus’ Michigan Daily and other local newspapers, and also engaged in peaceful anti-war protests. Partly because of her experience with the latter, universities took interest in having Dr. Berry help them navigate the various protests that were happening on their campuses. 

Following Dr. Berry’s lecture in 2023, BSOS Dean Susan Rivera moderated a brief Q&A session. Dr. Berry left the audience with this advice: Talk to someone who you know you don’t agree with, and if you’re considering standing up in opposition to, or support for, something that might be controversial or challenging, ask yourself “Is it right?” 

If you feel “a fire in your bones” the way Dr. Berry said she has over the course of her career, then you just might be on the brink of something that could transform the trajectory of your personal, and professional, life.

Photo of Dr. Mary Frances Berry delivering her Feller Lecture remarks is by Stephanie Cordle

Published on Wed, Feb 5, 2025 - 10:05AM