The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has a complex history with regards to Black students and faculty. While MIT has made significant strides in promoting diversity and inclusion in recent years, there have been challenges and obstacles faced by Black individuals within the institution.

One notable figure in MIT's history is Shirley Ann Jackson, who became the first Black woman to graduate with a doctorate from MIT in 1973. She went on to have a successful career in academia and government, and in 1999, she became the first Black woman to lead a top-ranked research university when she was appointed president of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

MIT has also been the site of various protests and movements for racial equality. In 1968, Black students at MIT organized a sit-in to demand increased support and resources for minority students. This protest ultimately led to the founding of the Black Students' Union and the establishment of the Office of Minority Education at MIT.

In more recent years, MIT has implemented various initiatives to promote diversity and inclusion on campus, such as the creation of the Institute Community and Equity Office and the establishment of programs like the MIT Leadership Center's Leaders for Global Operations Fellowship Program, which aims to increase the number of underrepresented minority students in leadership positions in the field of operations.

Overall, MIT has a nuanced history with regards to Black individuals within the institution, with both progress and challenges along the way.