University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) Commemorates Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Black History Month 2026
Chris T. Pernell, MD, MPH, FACPM, a visionary physician leader and champion for health equity, will be the keynote speaker at UMB’s 2026 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Black History Month Celebration. She is the director of the NAACP Center for Health Equity, fellow and regent-at-large at the American College of Preventive Medicine, clinical assistant professor for the Department of Medicine at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, and the founder and CEO of The Esther Group.
Her keynote message is titled “The Clarion Call for Health Justice: No Retreat, No Surrender.”
Additional Program Highlights:
- Spoken-Word Performance: Ephraim Nehemiah, a published writer, educator, actor, comedian, and nationally touring performer
- Live Music: The Scott Strother Jazz Combo, led by Scott Strother, MM, a seasoned musician and educator at Middle River Middle School in Baltimore County
Event Details:
Thursday, Feb. 5
Noon to 1:30 p.m.
MSTF Leadership Hall
Reception and light lunch to follow in the Atrium.