One notable figure in Black history with ties to MIT is Shirley Ann Jackson. In 1973, Shirley Ann Jackson became the first African-American woman to earn a Ph.D. from MIT, completing her doctoral degree in theoretical elementary particle physics. Jackson later went on to have a distinguished career in academia and scientific research, eventually becoming the first African-American woman to lead a top-ranked research university when she was appointed as the President of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1999.

Additionally, MIT has been involved in various initiatives and programs aimed at promoting diversity and inclusion in STEM fields, including efforts to increase the representation of underrepresented minority groups, including Black individuals, in the university's student body and faculty. MIT has also been a leader in supporting research and innovation in areas such as social justice, civil rights, and racial equity, working to address systemic issues of inequality and discrimination both within the university and in the broader society.