2022 Recipient
Dr. W. Meredith Bacon (formerly Walter M. Bacon, Jr.) joined the UNO faculty in 1976. Though she now calls Omaha home, she was born in New York City during the 1940s. Dr. Bacon joined the UNO Department of Political Science with a BA in history and a PhD in international relations, specializing in Romanian diplomatic history, civil-military relations in Romania and Moldova, the political economy of transition in both countries, and political leadership (Anderson, n.d.).
Dr. Bacon quickly established herself as a dedicated faculty member and leader within her department. During her time here, she served as Chair of the Department of Political Science and published extensively in her area of expertise (Anderson, n.d.). In the 80s, her research and work even resulted in her being listed as a persona non grata in Romania due to her published criticism of political leaders at the time (Anderson, n.d.).
Throughout her career, she has been a tremendous advocate for LGBTQ+ students in our community, paving the way for future faculty, staff, and students to feel welcome and included. This advocacy was born out of her own personal identity struggle as a transgender person. In the late 90s, grappling with her own identity struggle, she began researching and publishing on transgender issues while still known as Wally Bacon.
In 2005, Dr. Bacon openly transitioned to Meredith, stating in an interview with the Omaha World Herald: “It's about living in truth and being yourself.” Dr. Bacon remained married to her loving and supportive spouse, Lynne, and the two worked together to use her transition as “an educable moment” for others (Irwin, 2016), discussing her public transition with local news outlets and even being interviewed for People in 2014.
In 2001, 2003, and 2013, Dr. Bacon served UNO as Faculty Senate President, earning faculty support and respect as both Dr. Wally Bacon and Dr. W. Meredith Bacon. An Omaha World Herald article by Mike Kelly (2014) notes that Dr. Bacon may be the first openly transgender person elected to a university faculty leadership position in the US. Adding to her accolades during these years, Dr. Bacon was also recognized in 2006 with a College of Arts & Sciences Excellence in Teaching Award (Irwin, 2016). For Dr. Bacon, the focus in her career has always been on the students: “I bleed Maverick blood,” said Dr. Bacon in an Omaha World Herald interview (Kelly, 2014). During these years, Dr. Bacon’s advocacy for LGBTQ+ students also led her to accept national leadership roles in the National Center for Transgender Equality (Anderson, n.d.).
In 2014, Dr. W. Meredith Bacon retired from UNO after an illustrious 38-year career. She has continued her research as a Yivoist, studying the Jewish communities of Eastern Europe and their remnants, particularly in Brooklyn, NY.
In a 2016 interview, Dr. Bacon noted how supportive the Maverick community was during her time of transition as one of her favorite memories (Irwin, 2016). Our campus continues to honor her contributions to our community through the naming and awarding of the Annual Dr. Meredith Bacon Lavender Maverick Award, for UNO’s Lavender Graduation, and we are proud to honor Dr. Bacon here today as a UNO Legendary Leader at the 2022 Annual Chancellor’s Commission on the Status of Gender Equity Luncheon.
References
Anderson, J. (n.d.). W. Meredith Bacon. The Women’s Archive Project. http://wap.lib.unomaha.edu/?women=w-meredith-bacon
Comander, L. (2005, December). Together. Forever. People, 64(23). n. pag.
Kelly, M. (2014, May). A trailblazer reaches the end of one trail: Meredith nee Wally Bacon retires after 38 years of inspiring students. The Omaha World Herald. https://omaha.com/eedition/sunrise/articles/a-trailblazer-reaches-the-end-of-one-trail/article_25209d7b-6ee1-53da-a9d6-40b0e51a63ca.html
Kelly, M. (2018, September). Kelly: Lynne Bacon and transgender spouse Meredith Bacon shared 50 years of 'mutual devotion'. The Omaha World Herald. https://omaha.com/columnists/kelly/kelly-lynne-bacon-and-transgender-spouse-meredith-bacon-shared-years/article_f28e8bec-d27d-5130-b76a-d6c88355490e.html
Irwin, J. (2016, September). LGBTQ+: Interview with Meredith Bacon. Omaha Stories: Oral Histories of Omaha, Nebraska.