Michaela Herbst

"I am an Arts and Entertainment Editor for The Bold. The article, "Uncovering the story of Lucile Berkeley Buchanan: the first Black woman to graduate from CU" was created to tell CU students and the Boulder community about Buchanan's remarkable story. For decades, the University of Colorado Boulder believed that the first Black woman to graduate from CU was in 1924 instead of 1918. Polly McLean, an associate professor of media studies at CU, corrected the university when she discovered Lucile Buchanan’s story. For eight years, McLean gathered information needed for her book as she interviewed those connected with the Buchanans, visiting Virginia plantations, archives and family members. The remarkable story of Lucile Berkeley Buchanan was unveiled by Polly McLean through years of research, dedication and perseverance.