Announcing 1807 Commission on Slavery and Racism
Dear UMB Community,
I firmly believe that to be true to our mission to improve the human condition, we must address issues of structural racism and inequality directly through our clinical care and client relations, educational programs and pursuits, research, and community engagement work. As an anchor institution in Baltimore, the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) prides itself on establishing meaningful ways to integrate with and strengthen our community. Part of that work includes serving as a public example by examining our own faults and being unafraid of what may be uncomfortable or inconvenient.
To that end, I convened a group of leaders this summer to form the 1807 Commission on Slavery and Racism. They are charged with evaluating research into the names of buildings at UMB and providing recommendations, as necessary, on the appropriate reparative actions we should consider.
The 1807 Commission on Slavery and Racism members are:
- Diane Bell-McKoy, President and CEO, Associated Black Charities
- Bob Embry, President, The Abell Foundation
- Nancy Grasmick, Former Superintendent, Maryland State Department of Education
- Al Hathaway, Senior Pastor (retired), Union Baptist Church
- Sandy Hillman, President, Sandy Hillman Communications
- Wallace Loh, Former President, University of Maryland, College Park
- Kurt Schmoke, President, University of Baltimore
- Shelonda Stokes, President, Downtown Partnership of Baltimore; Commission Chair
I am grateful to the commission members for taking on this important work, and I look forward to their deliberate and thoughtful recommendations. This fact-finding effort will help us all have a better understanding of the history of UMB. I will share the 1807 Commission on Slavery and Racism’s progress with you and invite the input of the University community. I know that the group’s work will inform our conversations and, importantly, our actions toward being a more anti-racist institution.
Sincerely,
Bruce E. Jarrell, MD, FACS
President
