John H. Bracey Jr.

The University of Massachusetts Amherst’s decision to rename its Chancellor’s Leadership Awards in honor of the late professor John H. Bracey Jr. is more than a formal gesture; it is a profound recognition of a man whose life work redefined the academic and social fabric of the institution.

By transforming these accolades into the Professor John H. Bracey Jr. Leadership Awards, the university ensures that his 50-year legacy of activism, scholarship and mentorship continues to inspire future generations of equity-minded leaders.

Bracey was a foundational pillar of the W. E. B. Du Bois Department of Afro-American Studies. Joining the faculty in 1972, he was instrumental in establishing one of the nation’s first doctoral programs in the field. His academic contributions were vast, spanning the study of radical ideologies, the history of African American women and the complex intersections between Black, Native American, and Jewish communities.

Bracey’s scholarship, notably in works like African American Mosaic, provided a rigorous documentary framework for understanding the Black experience in America. However, Bracey was never a “closeted” academic; his work was deeply rooted in the Civil Rights Movements he participated in during his youth in Chicago.

The renaming of the leadership awards specifically highlights Bracey’s role as a “giant” of mentorship. As noted by department chair Yolanda Covington-Ward, Bracey was an “institution within himself.” The awards — which grant a $1,500 prize and a plaque to a student, faculty member and staff member annually — target individuals who foster a more equitable and inclusive campus. This criteria perfectly mirrors Bracey’s own life, which he dedicated to breaking down barriers and building intellectual and social bridges.

By anchoring these awards in Bracey’s name, UMass Amherst signals that true leadership is not merely about holding a position of power, but about the relentless pursuit of justice and the elevation of others. Bracey, who passed away in February 2023 at the age of 81, left behind a department and a university forever changed by his presence. These awards serve as a living memorial, challenging every member of the campus community to carry forward the torch of advocacy and intellectual rigor that Bracey carried so gracefully for over half a century.