2026 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

2026 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Keynote Lecture with Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum

Wednesday, February 4, 2026, from 5 - 6:15 p.m. in Rangos Ballroom, Second Floor, Cohon University Center

Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum, president emerita of Spelman College, is a leading clinical psychologist and nationally recognized expert on race and education. During her thirteen-year tenure at Spelman (2002–2015), she guided the college through significant growth and was honored with the 2013 Carnegie Academic Leadership Award for her transformative leadership.

The best-selling author of Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? and Can We Talk about Race?: And Other Conversations in an Era of School Resegregation, Dr. Tatum continues to shape national conversations about racial identity, campus climate, and educational equity. Her forthcoming book, Peril and Promise: College Leadership in Turbulent Times (September 2025), offers thought-provoking perspectives on the challenges and opportunities facing higher education in an era of rapid social change.

Her influential scholarship and public engagement have earned major recognition, including the Brock International Prize in Education and the American Psychological Association’s Award for Outstanding Lifetime Contributions to Psychology. She is also a sought-after speaker known for her compelling insights on higher education leadership, inclusive campus environments, and the impact of race in the classroom.

A dedicated civic leader in Atlanta, she serves on the boards of organizations including Achieve Atlanta, the Westside Future Fund, Morehouse College, Smith College, Georgia Power, and the Educational Testing Service. Dr. Tatum holds degrees from Wesleyan University, the University of Michigan, and Hartford International University, and has held faculty and leadership roles at UC Santa Barbara, Westfield State, and Mount Holyoke College, where she also served as interim president during the 2022–23 academic year.

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