Why Dr. Montague Cobb Still Matters in the Age of AI

Dr. Montague Cobb was a groundbreaking scientist who challenged racism not just in society, but in science itself. As the first African American PhD in physical anthropology, Cobb used his expertise to debunk myths of racial inferiority that once passed as scientific truth. In the 1930s, Cobb analyzed the athletic achievements of Jesse Owens and concluded that his success stemmed from talent and training—not race. Through work like this, Cobb dismantled the core assumptions of "race science" using data and reason. He didn’t stop there. Cobb fought medical segregation, mentored Black physicians, and reminded the world that more variation exists within racial groups than between them. His legacy is one of science in service of justice.

Fast-forward to today. Artificial intelligence tools, from voice assistants to medical algorithms, are shaping our lives. But these systems learn from existing data—and if the record is incomplete or biased, so are the results. That’s why Cobb’s legacy matters more than ever. To ensure AI promotes equity rather than inequality, we must continue his mission: producing research that is representative, rigorous, and widely shared. As Dr. Cobb said, “The burden of proof rests on those who assert that any group is innately inferior.” In our digital age, the burden of inclusion rests on us.

Let’s carry his scalpel of truth into the algorithmic future.

Save the date: The Cobb Institute Annual Lecture & Symposium

"Code, Context, and Care: AI at the Crossroads of Healthcare, Research, & Workforce Development"
At the NMA Annual Convention & Scientific Assembly, July 20, Grand Ballroom South Hilton Hotel, Chicago
DETAILS & PRE-REGISTRATION

SYMPOSIUM DETAILS & PRE-REGISTRATION

“This isn’t just about technology—it’s about leadership. The 2025 Cobb Symposium equips healthcare professionals, researchers, and institutions to ask better questions and build better systems.” — Dr. Randall Morgan, CEO & President, The W. Montague Cobb Institute "If within 5 years we will arrive at Artificial General Intelligence that is to say a system that is as smart as the smartest human thinkers, and if within less than a decade we will arrive at Artificial Super Intelligence, computers that are smarter than the sum total of human intelligence, then it is our scientific and ethical responsibility to ensure that such a system equalizes the global health experience." — Mallory Williams, MD, MPH, Chair of Trauma and Burn Surgery, Stroger Hospital, Cook County, & Chair, Board of Directors, W. Montague Cobb Institute “Innovations such as AI and genomics can help us uncover insights we’ve never seen before—but only if we’re thoughtful about how we design, interpret, and communicate our science, and facilitate equitable access.” — Virginia Caine, MD, NMA President, Chief Medical Officer, Marion Public Health Department, & Member, Board of Directors, W. Montague Cobb Institute

The Cobb Institute Annual Lecture & Symposium July 20, 2025
At the NMA Annual Convention & Scientific Assembly, July 19 - 23, Chicago

Code, Context, and Care: AI at the Crossroads of Healthcare, Research, & Workforce Development

2025 W. Montague Cobb Institute Health Disparities Symposium 

Full program and registration

Save the date:    Click here to add to Google Calendar       Click here to add to Outlook Calendar 

The symposium is complimentary for students, scholars, and residents, and attendees not receiving CME credits.  

W. Montague Cobb/NMA Health Institute & Howard University Hospital

Lester Henry Auditorium, 2041 Georgia Ave NW, Washington, DC 20060 

2025 Health Disparities Symposium Agenda (Subject to change)

Saturday, January 25, 2025
7:00am – 1:00pm PM EST

Our agenda includes topics in: 

Cardiology, Cancer, Infectious diseases, Behavioral health, Focus on addressing disparities in internal medicine

The "Risk Less. Do More" campaign, which launched during National Immunization Awareness Month in August 2024, reaches people who are at higher risk for serious illness, including adults ages 65 and older, residents of long-term care facilities (LTCF) and their caregivers, pregnant people, and those living in rural areas where they may have fewer health resources. It will also reach Black and Hispanic people in the United States who are at higher risk of severe illness from flu, COVID-19, and RSV.

The Cobb Institute is one of the partner organizations at the national, state, and local levels who have access to campaign materials developed by HHS in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to help amplify and extend the reach of the campaign messages and activities among priority audiences. 

The Cobb Institute will be hosting five in-person events across the country in conjunction with Health Departments in Indianapolis, Detroit, Memphis, Birmingham and Houston. These are educational events that provide an opportunity to receive vaccinations, and encourage thoughtful and culturally sensitive discussions about vaccine hesitancy and misinformation. Three additional events are planned for Sarasota, New Orleans, and Little Rock. Trusted voices in these communities and volunteers wishing to support these activities are encouraged to contact the Cobb Institute by emailing [email protected] 

Everyone can learn more about the importance of flu, COVID-19, and RSV vaccines during the 2024–2025 season during a livestream discussion featuring Dr. LaQuandra S. Nesbitt. As a professor at The George Washington University, she leads the Center for Population Health Sciences and Health Equity. This is a YouTube Livestream event in partnership with The Cobb Institute, BlackDoctor.org and the "Risk Less. Do More" campaign. More campaign information here.

CORE PROGRAMS & INITIATIVES

FEATURED PARTNERSHIP

Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) Announces continuation of Cooperative Agreement with National Medical Association (NMA) and W. Montague Cobb Institute to Increase Vaccination Coverage Across Racial and Ethnic Adult Populations Experiencing Disparities.  

The continuation of the cooperative agreement perpetuates working partnerships established in 2021. 

Adult vaccination coverage remains low nationally for all populations, but there are significant racial and ethnic disparities related explicitly to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and influenza (flu) immunizations. The low uptake of COVID-19 and flu vaccines places African American (Black) and other resource-limited populations at higher risk for COVID-19 infections and the probability of the serious illnesses associated with COVID-19, and the severe medical complications linked to COVID-19/flu "twindemic" infections. 

The primary goal of the National Medical Association (NMA) and W. Montague Cobb/National Medical Association (NMA) Health Institute (The Cobb Institute), (NMA/Cobb Institute) cooperative agreement (NMA-CA) is to support efforts to increase adult COVID-19/flu immunization coverage for adults in Black and other racial and ethnic disparate populations. The NMA/Cobb cooperative agreement also develops methods to address avoidable COVID-19/flu inequities and confront appropriate historical and contemporary health and healthcare disparities and biases. 

The National Medical Association and the W. Montague Cobb Institute have been collaborating with CDC to increase vaccination uptake since 2021, following Operation Warp Speed (Accelerated COVID-19 Vaccine Development Status and Efforts to Address Manufacturing Challenges), The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act (2020) and the Coronavirus Response and Consolidated Appropriations Act (2021).  Together these measures provided stimulus for rapid research and manufacturing of vaccines, support for healthcare organizations, and fast and direct economic assistance for American workers, families, small businesses, and industries. Funding for the NMA-CA were part of the initial federal “Warp Speed” legislation when there was little known about the COVID-19/flu pandemic other than increasing the use of public health preventive measures and increasing “shots in arms” in Black patients and underserved communities. For this reason, physician education is the cornerstone of the NMA-CA.

Cobb Institute Vaccination Clinic

Further Information Click Here