Lucy Diggs Slowe Papers, Moorland-Springarn Research Center

Although positive changes eventually came for the women students and faculty at Howard, those shifts were hard fought with the literal lives of Slowe and countless others. Luckily, Dean Slowe had the person who probably knew her best by her side on her deathbed, her life-long friend and partner Mary P. Burrill. Her accomplishments of "firsts" are incomparable, as stated by her mentor, Dr. Holmes, but Dean Lucy Diggs Slowe's legacy cannot simply be boiled down to her many triumphs. It must also be measured by the number of lives she positively touched while simultaneously considering how her life can be used as a cautionary, yet motivating, tale for Black women. Through her story, we see how imperative it is to seek sustainable alternatives to accomplish our goals and be relentless about finding peace and joy in our everyday lives. May her memory and legacy serve as a reminder that we all must fervently use our gifts to improve the lives of those around us and, with just as much thought and intention, preserve our health and sanity in the process.