Michigan

Tate (1905-1996) was an intrepid adventurer, educator, author, polyglot, and international diplomacy expert. She was the first Black woman from the United States to attend Oxford University, earning her B.Litt. degree in 1935. She later became the first Black woman to earn a Ph.D. in government and international relations from Harvard's Radcliffe College in 1941. She joined Howard University's history department in 1942, where she served as professor until 1977. Her scholarly work included five books on diplomatic history, extensive research across Asia, the Pacific, and Africa, and service as an advisor to then General Eisenhower on disarmament in the late 1940s. Tate's legacy also includes significant philanthropic contributions, notably a $1 million donation to establish the Merze Tate Student Education Endowment Fund as well as endowments for two Medallion Scholarships at Western Michigan University.

Luna (1945-1979) was the first black woman to appear on the cover of Vogue Magazine when, in 1966, she appeared on the cover of British Vogue.

Park Ranger

Dr. Canady (1950) is a retired Pediatric Neurosurgeon, researcher, and professor. In 1981, she became the first Black woman neurosurgeon. She was the Chief of Neurosurgery at the Children’s Hospital of Michigan from 1987 until 2001.