Maryland Gov. Wes Moore Urges Black Future Leaders to Walk in Truth

Wes Moore is the 63rd Governor of the state of Maryland is Maryland’s first Black governor in the state’s 246-year history and is just the third African American elected Governor in the history of the United States. In a recent visit to Morehouse to address men of Morehouse graduates the highly respected and revered political leader urged students and grads to be vigilant about attempts to erase or rewrite Black history.

“As Black men in America, we know our present is the result of the fights, the struggles, and the victories of the past. We are here because of people who marched and prayed over generations…,” Moreland stated. “And since history is one of the things that helped get you here, it is the very thing that can also move you forward.”

Moore the author of The Other Wes Moore, an autobiography about the fragile nature of opportunity in America, which became a perennial bestseller encouraged men of Morehouse to confront obstacles to realizing new heights in Black excellence and emphasized the connections of the past and the present and his hopes for their impact on the future.

“When politicians ban books and muzzle educators, they say it’s an effort to prevent ‘discomfort and guilt’ – but we know that’s not true. This is not about fear of making people feel bad. This is about fear of people understanding their power. This is about fear of you realizing that you come from a long line of titans – and visionaries – and dreamers – and pioneers – people who defied the odds and helped build this nation with their hands, their hearts, and their minds.”

The popular governor went on to write other best-selling books that reflect on issues of race, equity, and opportunity, including his latest book Five Days, which tells the story of Baltimore in the days that followed the death of Freddie Gray in 2015.

“Men of Morehouse: I stand before you as the first Black governor of my state and only the third Black governor ever elected in our nation’s history with a simple message: Our history is our power. I have come to tell you that you must hold this history close – because life will test you, and when it does, your history will give you the power to meet the challenge,” Moore asserted.

Prior to winning the office of Governor of Maryland, Moore built and launched a Baltimore-based business called BridgeEdU, which reinvented freshman year of college for underserved students to increase their likelihood of long-term success. BridgeEdu was acquired by the Brooklyn-based student financial success platform, Edquity, in 2018.

It was Moore’s commitment to taking on tough challenges that brought him to the Robin Hood Foundation, where he served for four years as CEO. During his tenure, the Robin Hood Foundation distributed over $600 million toward lifting families out of poverty.

Moore has also worked in finance with Deutsche Bank in London and with Citigroup in New York. He is deeply committed to delivering a competitive edge by investing in schools and education to develop leaders in industries of the future.

Moore went on to urge the audience of tomorrow’s leaders to use every tool at their disposal to recognize opportunity and grow understanding.

“Today, I am calling on you … to move to the next stage in your lives. Celebrate your history – unapologetically,” he added in his address to the men of Morehouse.