Operation Oxford: Celebrating Tate’s Legacy

When Merze Tate stepped off the train in 1932 Oxford, England, she had a dream. She had already succeeded in every educational endeavor she pursued. She had earned a bachelor’s degree in teaching from Western Michigan University, making her the first African American to earn the honor at that institution. She attended night and summer classes to complete her master’s degree in education from Columbia University. So, she stepped out on faith when she decided to take the ultimate leap to study abroad at Oxford.

During a recent Explorer Study Abroad to England, the Merze Tate Explorers learned more about Tate’s trials and triumphs at Oxford University. Five Explorer high school graduates were selected to visit England for an ultimate travel writer adventure.

Explorers celebrate their high school and college graduations at Oxford at Radcliffe Camera, where Tate also took a photo in her own graduation gown in 1935. Copyright protected – Merze Tate Explorers

Merze Tate died in 1996 after a life of accomplishments that still leave us in awe. Her legacy as an international scholar, educator, inventor, traveler, and more is the inspiration behind the Merze Tate Explorers, founded in 2008 by Sonya Bernard-Hollins.

Explorers pose with Big Ben, one of the 20 landmarks Explorers have on their list of world landmarks.
Copyright protected – Merze Tate Explorers.

Explorers participated in punting, a water rowing activity Tate once enjoyed as an Oxford student in the 1930s. Explorers also visited Big Ben and Stonehenge, two of the 20 landmarks they have on their list to explore by 2027, the 100th anniversary of Tate’s graduation from Western Michigan University.

Stay tuned for stories about their adventures in London in our upcoming Girls Can! Magazine. This Fall edition will feature stories and interviews with those from the Shakespeare Globe Theatre, Oxford University, and more. In addition, the top stories from Explorers will highlight our 2024 adventures.