In both Hidden Figures and our interview today with the Legacy 3, the women were unafraid to embark on unfamiliar terrain. Regardless of whether something had been done before, the women refused to conceive such as a closed door, but rather as one that they would be the first to open. What does it mean to be the first? Certainly, there is a level of uncertainty and anxiety—as there is with any blank slate—but the women we have met–both in film and in person–also displayed how being the first is a path to empowerment. It’s about intentionally creating change yourself, and it also requires a degree of self confidence, which the Legacy 3 inspiringly embodies. As I’ve been thinking about the Legacy 3’s experience at the College, their general unawareness of the legacy they would create reminds me how being the first can also be natural. It needn’t be self-imposed. In fact, I would argue that the best legacies are the ones that one does not entirely know they are creating. Sometimes one must go through their personal journey to guide others through their own. The Legacy 3’s journey, though distinct and personal to the women, has taken a life of its own. We now celebrate the women’s achievements as a model for creating a new legacy at William & Mary, one that openly acknowledges the history of African Americans on campus and translates such recognition into active change. Though this process has proved time-consuming and unfinished, I feel as if we—as the current William & Mary community—are carrying the torch forward that the Legacy 3 first lit back in 1967. Now, we must use this flame as the guiding light to start difficult conversations and re-inform prevailing narratives. I’m proud to be a part of this mission.
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