Morehouse College has established the Black Men’s Research Institute (BMRI) to investigate the economic, social, cultural and personal outcomes of issues affecting Black men, particularly where disparities exist in the United States and beyond. 

Through collaborative thought leadership, the institute hopes to counter conflicting narratives, distrust and ambiguity by bringing a clear, authoritative voice to bear on Black men’s experiences. 

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“As a college dedicated to advancing knowledge of Black men’s lives, Morehouse is thankful for the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation’s investment that enables us to establish the BMRI,” Kendrick Brown, Ph.D., provost and senior vice president of academic affairs, told Inside, the school’s official blog. “The institute will be a positive force for promoting richer, more nuanced understandings of how Black men affect and are influenced by their communities.”   

Clarissa Myrick-Harris, chair of the division of humanities and professor of Africana studies, told Inside the institute will look into and share how Black men and boys have conquered obstacles and found methods to empower themselves, their families and their communities.

“The BMRI will fill a void in research, scholarship, curriculum, and public engagement to reveal a holistic understanding of the experiences of men and boys of African descent in the United States, Africa, and the African Diaspora—from their expressions of gender and identity to the overt and subtle ways that systemic racism and inequalities affect them in myriad socio-political, economic, and cultural contexts,” she said.

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The BMRI, which is supported by a four-year grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, plans to launch an annual symposium and a public lecture series, among other objectives.