City of Baltimore Women's History Month Annual Luncheon

Enolia Pettigen McMillan (October 20, 1904 – October 24, 2006) was a trailblazing educator, civil rights activist, and community leader who made history as the first female national president of the NAACP. She was a powerful advocate for educational equality and racial justice. Born in Willow Grove, Pennsylvania, Enolia Pettigen was the daughter of a former slave, John Pettigen, and Elizabeth Fortune Pettigen. Seeking better educational opportunities, her family moved to Maryland when she was eight. Enolia attended Frederick Douglass High School in Baltimore and later earned a scholarship from Alpha Kappa Alpha to study at Howard University, where she received a Bachelor of Arts in education in 1926. She went on to earn a master’s degree from Columbia University in 1933. Her thesis challenged Maryland’s segregated school system, exposing the inequalities in school terms, salaries, and curricula for Black students. Enolia began her teaching career in 1927 and quickly rose to leadership positions, becoming a principal and later president of the Maryland State Colored Teachers' Association. After the landmark 1954 Brown v. Board of Education decision, she was among the first Black teachers to integrate previously all-white schools. She retired from teaching in 1968 but continued her activism. In 1969, she became president of the Baltimore NAACP, leading critical fundraising efforts that helped save the national organization from financial crisis. In 1984, McMillan made history as the NAACP’s first female national president. Although the role was largely ceremonial, she significantly influenced the organization’s policies. McMillan played a key role in relocating the NAACP’s headquarters from New York to Baltimore in 1986. She was an outspoken critic of the Reagan administration’s policies and led protests against apartheid in South Africa. Enolia McMillan was also a dedicated advocate for higher education. In 1975, she became the first female chair of the board of regents at Morgan State University. Her achievements were widely recognized—she was inducted into the Maryland Women’s Hall of Fame in 1990. In 2000, a street near the NAACP’s Baltimore branch was renamed Enolia P. McMillan Way. Enolia married Betha D. McMillan in 1935, and they had one son, Betha Jr. She passed away on October 24, 2006, just days after her 102nd birthday. Her life and legacy continue to inspire those committed to justice and equality.

Dr. Tiffany Beth Mfume serves as the Associate Vice Provost for Student Success and Retention Initiatives, providing leadership, direction, and oversight of the university’s effort to meet student needs, enhance student progression and retention, and improve graduation rates. Additionally, Dr. Mfume supports, develops, leads, and coordinates efforts that make it possible for students to thrive, with attention to the needs of first-generation, limited-income, international, and underrepresented students. Her core responsibilities include expanding collaborations to implement a systems-thinking approach. Before joining Johns Hopkins, Dr. Mfume served in multiple leadership roles for 24 years at her alma mater, Morgan State University. As Associate Vice President for Student Success and Retention at Morgan, she managed new student and parent orientation, placement testing, Starfish Retention Solutions’ Early Alert and Connect systems, EAB Navigate, first-year advisement, financial literacy, alumni mentoring, and academic recovery among other programs and services. Her innovative leadership at Morgan helped to promote both retention and graduation rate increases of more than ten points. Under her leadership, Morgan’s Office of Student Success and Retention received numerous national awards including the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities’ Project Degree Completion Award. Prior to her employment history at Morgan, Dr. Mfume held positions with the Society for In Vitro Biology and Birch & Davis Associates, Inc., in Washington, D.C. Dr. Mfume is a frequent contributor and speaker at higher education conferences and author of the nationally recognized books, The College Completion Glass—Half-Full or Half-Empty? Exploring the Value of Postsecondary Education (2019) and What Works at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs): Nine Strategies for Increasing Retention and Graduation Rates (2015), both published by Rowman & Littlefield. She has served on numerous national committees including the NASPA Advising Technology Working Group, the College Board Colloquium Planning Committee, the EDUCAUSE Program Committee, the Executive Committee for the Commission on Information, Measurement, and Analysis (CIMA) of the Association of Public and Land Grant Universities, and the USA Funds Advisory Council. A Baltimore native, Dr. Mfume earned a bachelor’s degree in Biology, a master’s degree in Sociology, and a doctoral degree in Public Health all from Morgan State University.

Jill P. Carter is a dedicated public servant, attorney, and legislator committed to justice and equity in Maryland. Born and raised in Baltimore, she has served as a strong advocate for civil rights, government transparency, and systemic reform. Carter was elected to the Maryland House of Delegates in 2002, representing the 41st District, where she championed police accountability, education reform, and housing rights. In 2017, she was appointed to the Maryland Senate, continuing her fight for social justice and community empowerment. Throughout her career, Carter has been a tireless voice for marginalized communities, working to create policies that promote fairness and opportunity for all.

Ti Malik Coleman (he/him) is a multi-talented individual based in Baltimore, known for his roles as a comedian, teacher, storyteller, improviser, and writer. He is deeply passionate about fostering connections and believes in the power of storytelling and comedy as avenues for healing, community-building, and personal empowerment.