Michigan Medicine is one of the University of Michigan’s oldest schools, educating future physicians since 1851. But institutional narratives have often erased the experiences of Black medical students—particularly those from its early years. CREATE Center postdoctoral research fellow Tonya Kneff-Chang will reveal how power has influenced the making and remaking of these historical accounts over time and explore through a series of walking tours she’s developed how those hidden stories are embedded in everyday spaces and how past struggles over race, class, and gender continue to influence U-M’s campus.

Dr. Tonya Kneff-Chang is an interdisciplinary historian whose work explores how race and racism have shaped our educational and medical institutions. At the U-M Medical School, she co-developed and co-teaches the History of Race and Racism in Medicine course for students, faculty, and staff, helping future healthcare providers understand the historical roots of contemporary health disparities. Dr. Kneff-Chang holds a BA in Peace & Conflict Studies from the University of California, Berkeley; an MA in Educational Leadership & Policy from the University of Michigan; and a PhD in Educational Foundations from the University of Michigan.