She’s written a book about the power of words, particularly those delivered by former President Barack Obama. She was the first woman to head a major research university. And in the 1980s, she started a freedom movement that earned her an honor named for Nelson Mandela.
On Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Mary Frances Berry will offer a few words for Eastern Michigan University students and staff as the keynote speaker for the MLK President’s Luncheon. The Luncheon is scheduled from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the Student Center ballroom. Tickets are required and can be purchased through the university's online box office.
“Mary Frances Berry’s lifelong commitment to advancing civil rights and social justice makes her an extraordinary addition to this year’s event,” Dwight Hamilton, EMU’s chief diversity officer and luncheon co-chair, said in a written announcement about her selection as the keynote speaker.
“Her leadership and achievements are a powerful reminder of the work still needed to honor Dr. King’s dream and bring about lasting change,” Hamilton said of Berry.
Berry is a history professor, currently serving as the Geraldine R. Segal Professor of American Social Thought at the University of Pennsylvania. She began her teaching career as an assistant professor of history in Ypsilanti at Eastern Michigan University, teaching from 1968 to 1970. She eventually earned her doctorate degree in American constitutional history at the University of Michigan and a juris doctorate from the University of Michigan School of Law.
“Berry’s presence offers a unique opportunity for students and the Ypsilanti community to learn from her wisdom and lifelong dedication to justice,” Kevin Williams, EMU’s director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Programming and luncheon co-chair, said in the announcement.
Berry’s work included serving as the chairperson for the U.S. Civil Rights Commission. Additionally, former President Jimmy Carter appointed her as the assistant secretary for education in the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare.
It was in Colorado where Berry blazed the trail for women in educational leadership, when she was hired as chancellor of the University of Colorado at Boulder, becoming the first woman to lead a major research university.
Berry’s books include “History Teaches Us to Resist: How Progressive Movements Have Succeeded in Challenging Times,” and “Five Dollars and a Pork Chop Sandwich: Vote Buying and the Corruption of Democracy.”
She also wrote a book about Obama's speeches, titled “Power in Words: The Stories behind Barack Obama’s Speeches from the State House to the White House.” She also has written about constitutional racism, the end of the Vietnam War, the AIDs epidemic, the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Equal Rights Amendment.
WXYZ-TV Channel 7 Editorial Director Chuck Stokes will moderate the conversation with Berry during the luncheon. Stokes has spent decades working in broadcast and print news, including time as an on-air reporter in Nashville, Tennessee. He also worked as a sportswriter for The Washington Post. Stokes received 12 Emmys for editorial reporting and two for documentaries. In 2001, he received a lifetime achievement award from the Detroit Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists.
Following the luncheon, Berry will be signing copies of her latest work, “History Teaches Us to Resist: How Progressive Movements Have Succeeded in Challenging Times,” which explores the power of activism in driving social change. The book signing event is from 2-3 p.m. in room 310A of the Student Center.
