[9] She also helped create the Ethnic Heritage project which studied the history of African Americans in Gum Springs, Virginia.

From 1982 to 1983 she was co-principal investigator on the Constitution and American Culture and the training program for special project directors, sponsored by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Dr. Barnett doubled the amount of federal research and service grant dollars received within her first year as chancellor.

[14] She did such a great job at the UMST that the New York Times credited her with “taking a sleepy campus and turning it around”.

[15] On September 1, 1990, Dr. Barnett became the first-ever African American women president at a major university with more than 30,000 students.

On her first official meeting on September 4, 1990, she laid out seven major challenges that the University of Houston faced which she would try to correct.

The purpose was to address the multidisciplinary concerns for the nation's environmental needs through research, education service activities in history, law, engineering, science, business, and communications.

[22] She appointed Dr. Elwyn Lee to the African American studies program with help from Dr. Elizabeth Brown- Guillory.

She served on the board for the Monsanto Company, the Educational testing service, the National student loan marketing association, the Houston Grand Opera, the board of advisors of the Houston Symphony, the American Council on Education, the Board of Union Electric, the St Louis Symphony, the St Louis Arts and Education Council, the and St Louis Civic.

[27] Samuel Stouffer Fellowship (1964) National opinion research center fellowship(1965) Committee on Southern Asian studies fellowship (1966) Committee for the study of comparative politics fellowship (1967) Princeton University faculty research grant (1970) James Madison Bicentennial preceptor at Princeton University Distinguished Research and scholarship (1976) American Political Science Association ethnic and cultural pluralism award for best scholarly work in political science (Best book) (1981) Bethune-Tubman-Truth Women of the Year Award (1983) Association of Black Women in Higher Education Award for Educational Excellence (1986) American Political Science COBPS Award for Excellence in Scholarship and Service to the Profession (1986) Golden GAZELLE Award from the Project on Equal Education of the NOW Legal Defense Fund (1987) Award of Achievement, Jefferson City NAACP (1988) The St. Louis Variety Club named Barnett Woman of the Year (1989) The Women's International Leadership Forum presented her with the Woman Who Has Made a Difference Award (1990) Dr. Barnett is the first African American woman to become president at a major institution with over 30,000 students.

Dr. Barnett fell ill with hypoglycemia cancer which caused her to take a leave of absence in January 1992.

The first statement written by Chancellor Alexander F. Schilt praised Dr. Barnett for the resources, habits, and programs that she created that would benefit the future of the university.

[30] The second statement written by James H Pickering (Acting President) addressed Dr. Barnett's vision for the university and her impact while also mentioning that on that upcoming Sunday, March 1 at 3:00 p.m. a memorial service will be held at Cullen Performance Hall.

[31] George H. W. Bush wrote to her husband “Marguerite was a dedicated servant to the University of Houston, to her community, and to her country.

At UMSL she has a scholarship named after her whose goal is to help students who are in the Bridge program receive their graduate degrees.

[35] This article covers the importance of Black leaders' role in reconstructing foreign and domestic policies.

Ross fears consequences for African Americans in result of issues in the economy and international relations.

Ross spent a lot of time researching the progress of African Americans in America, particularly in the development of equitable racial policies.

Throughout the book, the idea of mainstream black inclusion in America is deemed to be a myth due to the many injustices still taking place in these communities.

Amidst the 1980s political climate, Ross worked to strategize an increase in black politicians within the United States.