Speechifying collects the most important speeches of Dr. Johnnetta Betsch Cole—noted Black feminist anthropologist, the first Black female president of Spelman College, former director of the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of African Art, and former chair and president of the National Council of Negro Women. A powerful and eloquent orator, Dr. Cole demonstrates her commitment to the success of historically Black colleges and universities, her ideas about the central importance of diversity and inclusion in higher education, the impact of growing up in the segregated South on her life and activism, and her belief in public service. Drawing on a range of Black thinkers, writers, and artists as well as biblical scripture and spirituals, her speeches give voice to the most urgent and polarizing issues of our time while inspiring transformational leadership and change. Speechifying also includes interviews with Dr. Cole that highlight her perspective as a Black feminist, her dedication to public speaking and “speechifying” in the tradition of the Black church, and the impact that her leadership and mentorship have had on generations of Black feminist scholars.
- Cover
- Contents
- Editors’ Preface
- Acknowledgments
- Timeline of Dr. Johnnetta Betsch Cole’s Life and Career
- Prologue / Johnnetta Betsch Cole
- Interview 1. The Practical Ethics of Johnnetta Betsch Cole: The Life of a Black Feminist Anthropologist / Erica Lorraine Williams
- Interview 2. Johnnetta Betsch Cole and the Art of Speechifying / Celeste Watkins-Hayes
- The Speeches
- 1. Origin Stories
- My Story and Yours: Empowering Meaningful Change Together
- Defining Moments: Lessons Learned from Anthropology
- Three Stations along My Journey as a Citizen Volunteer
- The Continuing Significance of President Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address
- 2. The Importance of Historically Black Colleges and Universities
- Another Day Will Find Us Brave
- Straight Talk on HBCUs: Implications for Economic Transformation
- It Is Going to Take Faith and Action: A Call to Support Our HBCUs
- A Conversation with Johnnetta Betsch Cole / Paula Giddings
- 3. Higher Education
- Look for You Yesterday, Here You Come Today
- If You Educate a Woman
- Difference Does Make a Difference: The Struggle for Diversity and Inclusion in American Higher Education
- The Future of African American Education
- 4. Feminism and Women’S Empowerment
- The Role of Christian Black Women in Today’s World
- Taking Stock: The Condition of Black Women in Our Nation
- Women’s Rights and Human Rights in Africa
- Doing the Lord’s Work: Black Women and Civic Engagement
in South Carolina
- Knowledge Is the Prime Need of the Hour
- 5. Race and Racism
- Under the Sun
- The Black Community in the New Millennium: Assessing Our Progress and Crafting Our Future
- Service of Remembrance and Celebration for Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela
- A Tribute to the Life and Work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
- The 400th Anniversary of the Arrival of the First Enslaved Africans: A Remembrance
- 6. Art and Museum Life
- Do Your Dreams Scare You?
- The Treatment of Gender in Opening Exhibitions
- Diversity in American Art Museums
- Great Art at Historically Black Colleges and Universities: To Whom Does It Belong?
- 7. The Fierce Urgency of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
- The Compelling Case for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
- Exploring Our Differences
- Lessons from the Life and Work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
- Moving beyond Barriers: Transforming International Education through Inclusive Excellence
- 8. Commencement Addresses
- A House Divided (Emory University)
- Attributes of Twenty-First-Century Women Leaders (Trinity Washington University)
- Courage, It’s What Really Matters (Bennington College)
- Afterword: The Transcendent Voice of Dr. Johnnetta Betsch Cole / Celeste Watkins-Hayes and Erica Lorraine Williams
- Appendix: Dr. Johnnetta Betsch Cole’s Service and Honors
- Bibliography
- Index
Text
Audio
Adobe DRM
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