Renowned scholar and cultural historian Marcyliena Morgan , founder of Harvard University ’s Hip Hop Archive and Research Institute, has passed away at the age of 75 due to complications related to Alzheimer’s disease.

Born in 1950 and raised in Chicago, Morgan became one of the most respected voices in the study of language, identity, and the power of popular culture to shape social discourse.

After joining Harvard’s faculty, Morgan established the Hip Hop Archive and Research Institute in 2007, recognizing the genre’s deep intellectual and cultural value at a time when few in academia did.

Initially skeptical of rap’s educational potential , she came to view hip-hop as a crucial space for expression, creativity, and community. As she wrote in her 2009 book The Real Hiphop ,

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