Morgan State University, BA - History - 2006

Morgan State University, MA - Musuem Studies and Historical Preservation - 2010

Morgan State University, Ph.D.-Candidate - History - 2016

Simone Renee Barrett is a native of Baltimore, Maryland. She is a historian and museum professional who earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and Master of Arts in Museum Studies and Historical Preservation degree from Morgan State University. Her primary area of research is 20th century African American history, with focus in Morgan State University's history. Her master's thesis titled "From Humble Beginnings to a Profound Impact: A Brief History of Lovely Lane United Methodist Church and its Impact on the African American Community in Baltimore, Maryland" included a chapter which detailed birth of the Centenary Biblical Institute to the State of Maryland's acquisition of Morgan College. Currently Ms. Barrett is in the concluding phases of her doctoral dissertation titled, "Bring Thee Our Laurels Whatever They Be: A History of Morgan State University's Student Led Protest." As the title suggests her research focuses on Morgan's student protest from activities of the Morgan's Student NAACP chapter in 1939 to the present day.

In 2004, Ms. Barrett began her tenure with the State of Maryland as the Administrative Assistant for Morgan State University's Center for Museum Studies and Historical Preservation. She was an integral part of the team that developed the Graduate Program in Museum Studies and Historical Preservation. In 2008, after a brief stint with the Reginald F. Lewis Museum, Ms. Barrett returned to Morgan State as a Museum Specialist/Recruiter for Museum Studies program. During her tenure the program's enrollment grew significantly and she was a member of the first graduating class.

Ms. Barrett brings a unique perspective to the Center; she grew up hearing accounts from her parents about segregation in Baltimore, Maryland and their frustrating journeys through "Jim Crow" in their early careers. Her father a Baltimore City Fire-Fighter shared stories of discriminatory acts he encountered during his early career. Her mother was the second African American educator at an all-white high school in Baltimore, Maryland who told stories of the white school obtaining new books and the old outdated books were sent to the black school (Dunbar High School, Baltimore, MD). Her parents were so frustrated with the unequal educational process of the Baltimore City School System that she and her sibling attended private school during their formative years. Ms. Barrett learned at an early age that race and economic condition are factors in type of education one receives.

Currently, Ms. Barrett serves on the East Baltimore Historical Library Planning Committee, Morgan State University's Sesquicentennial Committees, and is a member of the Association of African American Museums, the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, the Society of American Archivist, Henrietta Lacks Legacy Group, and serves as one Morgan State's "unofficial historians."

Simone has a son, Jason who is a senior at Baltimore City College High School.