On Wednesday, April 26, the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences welcomed Dr. Mary Frances Berry, a world-renowned activist and pioneer in championing racial and gender equality and rights who joined UMD in 1970, back to campus for The Feller Lecture. In keeping with that tradition, Dr. Berry spoke of her time serving as the Director of Afro-American Studies, what is now the Department of African American Studies, and being 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.

As she explained, Dr. Berry’s UMD promotion and the many record-breaking promotions that followed—including being the first woman to head a major research university as Chancellor of the University of Colorado at Boulder in 1976; named Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare in 1977; appointed Chairwoman of the U.S. Civil Rights Commission in 1980; and more—were 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, BSOS Dean Susan Rivera moderated a brief Q&A session. When asked for her thoughts on today’s political climate, 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.

The Feller Lecture, which was established in 2018 via a generous donation from alumni Joel J. Feller, GVPT ’90, and Kim A. Feller, ’89, brings faculty, staff, students and an esteemed speaker together for a discussion of timely political issues, and the speaker’s career-related insights on such pertinent topics. 

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

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