That outstanding figure is Merze Tate (’27). Aside from being the FIRST African American graduate of Western Michigan Teachers College (now WMU), she was the first African-American to graduate from Oxford University (1932), the first African-American to earn a Ph.D in government and international relations from Harvard University, named a Fulbright Scholar, and was a representative of the U.S. State Department. Tate traveled the world —twice— before purchasing a ticket to outer space. Additionally, she authored five books and spoke five languages. (More information on Merze Tate can be found below)
From March 1-30, Discovering Merze Tate: How to Uncover the Hidden Treasures in Your Archives and Bring them to Life, will be on display at the WMU Center for the Humanities.
On March 22 at 4:00 PM, Bernard-Hollins will be at the University Center for Humanities to talk about her search for information on African American graduates of WMU, and how she discovered Merze Tate. The exhibit consists of photos, letters, and tickets that document Tate’s travels and accomplishments.
Bernard-Hollins is author of the book Here I Stand: A Musical History of African Americans in Battle Creek, Michigan. She is the editor and publisher of Community Voices—a Kalamazoo based newspaper serving the African American community; and is founder of the Merze Tate Travel Club, which teaches girls about inspirational people, places, and media.
For more information, please follow the links below:
LINK: COLLEGE OF ARTS & SCIENCES— SANDRA BERNARD-HOLLINS
LINK: COMMUNITY VOICES
LINK: UNIVERSITY CENTER FOR THE HUMANITIES—EVENTS
LINK: MyWMU—MERZE TATE (Feb. 1, 2011)