The legacy of the Cromwells’ spans generations.

These women made a career in higher education attainable for so many by being the first of their kind.

They were exceptionally young, Black, and gifted.

We cannot forget the circumstances that make these women truly extraordinary.

The Cromwells’ worked from within to push against the systems that have kept Black women in the margins.

That is their legacy.

We look to the Cromwells’ as ancestors, leaders, and guides through a system that was not built for us or with our success in mind. Today, Black students at Smith continue to do the work of creating culture and holding space for community that is safe. Within, a system that still does not fully recognize our struggles for equity and inclusion.

This is how our legacy ties to the Cromwells. We are living with our history on this campus. We must look beyond a day to see the importance of what the Cromwells have to teach us.