As President Donald Trump pushes back on diversity, equity, inclusion (DEI) initiatives and government agencies suspend “identity month” celebrations, how will Murray State commemorate Black and Women’s History months?
As one of his first acts as president, Trump signed multiple executive orders targeting DEI programs and policies within the federal government and higher education. These orders are meant to cut government waste and “restore merit-based opportunity.” Additional executive orders dissolved DEI offices in the military and banned the promotion of divisive concepts such as “race or sex stereotyping” and “gender ideology.”
The Department of Defense released a memo that said it would no longer use official resources to commemorate holidays such as Black History Month, Women’s History Month, Pride Month and more. The Defense Intelligence Agency also paused celebrations such as Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Holocaust Remembrance Day, Women’s Equity Day and other federal holidays.
Despite government agencies’ decision to no longer commemorate the holiday, Trump continued the presidential tradition of declaring February as Black History Month in an official proclamation. The proclamation, released on Jan. 31, celebrated the achievements and progress made by Black Americans.
The proclamation also calls for all officials, educators and librarians to observe this month with appropriate activities and ceremonies.
A University spokesman said he was not aware of any effects at this time. The University continues to monitor these policies, and every other policy at the state and federal levels.
For the last week, Murray State has used its social media to celebrate Black alumni and their time at the University. Stories were gathered from the 2024 Murray State Alumni Oral History Project. So far, the University has shared quotes from Betty J. Walker, who graduated in 1976 and got her masters degree in 1985, and Michael Mumford, who graduated in 1971.
Murray State’s National Pan-Hellenic Council will host its Black History Month Ball at 7 p.m. on Feb. 22 in the Curris Center Large Ballroom. “Get ready for an unforgettable night of culture, celebration, and elegance. Stay tuned for more details. This is an event you don’t want to miss,” their announcement on Instagram said.
No plans for Women’s History Month have been announced by any Murray State organization as of yet. The University has typically commemorated this month with different events and programs. In 2022, they announced the creation of the Women’s Philanthropy Society with the purpose of connecting members and raising money for campus events and workshops.
The Women’s Philanthropy Society also created a website in conjunction with Murray State’s Women’s Center to celebrate Women’s History Month. The website, titled “The Women Of Murray State,” now leads to a 404 page.
Abigail Cox, director of the Women’s Center, said the center has now moved away from programs commemorating Women’s History Month due to budget and staffing restraints. Cox said the center now focuses on amplifying other groups’ commemoration efforts, as well as meeting the daily needs of students who utilize the center.
“When I first stepped into the Women’s Center position, the Women’s Center planned a lot of awareness day/month types of programming,” Cox said. “However, as time went on we found that lots of groups are doing that programming, and partnering to amplify that work is a strategy that works best for us.”
Cox said the Women’s Center works to build connections among students. The center also hosts collaborative meetings with different campus organizations doing programming to discuss how they can assist each other.
“For these reasons, our reaction is to continue to show up each day to support students as they work toward their degrees, to help students identify solutions to problems/obstacles/barriers, and to connect them with the many resources available on our campus and in our community,” Cox said. “My focus will always be on what I can do for students today.”
