The University of Maryland, Baltimore traces its founding to 1807 when the state of Maryland approved a law (Session 216, Chapter 53) opening the College of Medicine of Maryland. Soon after its founding, Dr. George Brown was elected president of the College of Medicine of Maryland.

The College of Medicine of Maryland operated under that title until 1812, when a new law (Session 224, Chapter 159) created the University of Maryland. The new University was given the authority to organize a faculty of medicine, arts and sciences, law, and divinity under the leadership of a Board of Regents. The Board of Regents approved a provost as head of the university, which grew to include five departments or schools (Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacy, Law, and Liberal Arts, which was located at St. John’s College in Annapolis).

In 1920, the state of Maryland once again passed a law (Session 310, Chapter 480) joining together the University of Maryland and the Maryland State Agricultural College (today’s University of Maryland, College Park). Under this law, the two schools operated as one state school with one president under the University of Maryland name. The College Park campus was used primarily for undergraduate education, while the Baltimore campus operated the professional schools of Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacy, Nursing, Law, and, by 1961, Social Work.

Following creation of the state system, Wilson H. Elkins was named chancellor and led until 1978.

In 1963, a state law (Session 358, Chapter 537) established the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), which opened in 1966. One chancellor, Dr. Albin O. Kuhn, oversaw both Baltimore universities beginning in 1965. In 1970, the University System of Maryland (USM) was established and oversaw five universities: University of Maryland at Baltimore; University of Maryland, Baltimore County; University of Maryland, College Park; University of Maryland Eastern Shore; and University of Maryland University College. The five universities, with the exception of UMB and UMBC, had their own chancellors. However, in 1971, UMB and UMBC hired their own chancellors, and Dr. Albin O. Kuhn became the first chancellor of UMB.

In 1988, the head of the individual universities' title was changed to president; thus, UMB’s first modern-day president was Edward N. Brandt Jr. The term chancellor was used for the individual overseeing the entire state system (USM). Since that time, UMB has had seven full-time and acting/interim presidents at the helm.