2026 University MLK Commemoration featuring Col. (Ret.) Edna W. Cummings

Register here!

In honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, the Yale University and Greater New Haven communities are invited to attend the 2026 Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemoration on January 29th, 2026: “Repairing the Record, Building Connection.” Focused on honoring his life and legacy, the event will feature a keynote by Col. (Ret.) Edna W. Cummings’, followed by a conversation with Babz Rawls-Ivy. Dwight Hall is a proud co-sponsor.

Read more and register for the event here: https://schwarzman.yale.edu/events/2026-mlk-commemoration-repairing-record-building-belonging-featuring-col-ret-edna-w-cummings

U.S. Army Col. (Ret.) Edna W. Cummings, is a distinguished veteran, advocate, and storyteller whose leadership has helped ensure that the contributions of underrecognized heroes are preserved in our national memory. She has played a key role in securing long-overdue recognition for the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion—the first all-Black, all-woman unit deployed overseas in World War II— including advocacy that led to the battalion’s 2022 Congressional Gold Medal and work on the film The Six Triple Eight. The first African American woman commissioned through Appalachian State University’s ROTC program, Col. Cummings served 25 years in the military with leadership roles at Georgetown University ROTC, the Pentagon, and U.S. NORAD/NORTHCOM. She currently serves as the Army Reserve Ambassador for Maryland.