Dr. Marshall Hatch

Biography

Marshall Hatch Jr. is a Faculty Lecturer at the University of Chicago Divinity School and the Co-Founder and Executive Director of the MAAFA Redemption Project, a Chicago-based initiative focused on workforce, social, and spiritual development for Black and Brown men aged 18-30. Born and raised on the Westside of Chicago, he graduated from Lincoln Park High School in 2006 and was awarded the Gates Millennium Scholarship that same year. Marshall attended Bates College in Lewiston, Maine, where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Religion in 2010. After serving as an Admission Counselor at Bates, he returned to Chicago to work as the Director of College Counseling and teacher of African American History at Urban Prep Charter Academy. Throughout his career, he has mentored hundreds of African American young men in the South and Westside neighborhoods. His passion for education, social justice, and spirituality has been shaped by his experiences and led him to pursue dual Master's degrees in Divinity and Social Service Administration from the University of Chicago in 2014. After graduation, he joined his father in full-time ministry at the New Mount Pilgrim Baptist Church. In 2017, they founded the MAAFA Redemption Project, which focuses on housing, job skills development, and educational opportunities for young Black and Brown men and offers a range of support and programming aimed at cultural identity development and civic empowerment.

Research Interests