In Celebration of Women’s History Month - Dr. Johnnetta Betsch Cole
In Celebration of Women’s History Month
Dr. Johnnetta Betsch Cole's multifaceted career encompasses significant contributions to education, anthropology, and Black Studies. She also had an impactful role as the director of the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art. Dr. Cole is a distinguished anthropologist, educator, social justice activist, Asa G. Hilliard Awardee, and former college president. She cofounded one of the first Black Studies programs in the United States at Washington State University. Through her advocacy and scholarship, she has worked to establish Black Studies as a legitimate and respected academic field. She has championed the inclusion of diverse perspectives in the study of African American history, culture, and society, contributing to a more comprehensive and nuanced understanding of the Black experience.
During Dr. Cole’s early career, she held teaching positions at Washington State University, the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, and Hunter College. At Hunter she was professor of anthropology and director of the Latin American and Caribbean Studies Program. She was the first female African American president of Spelman College, a historically black college, serving 1987-97, and she was president of Bennett College 2002-07. At the 2017 A Dream Deferred and HBCU conferences, she discussed her experience leading two historically black institutions:
(It was an)… extraordinary experience of serving as the president of our nation’s only two historically Black colleges for women, Spelman, and Bennett. During those magical years, I witnessed everyday what was possible when African American women were told and came to believe that they could fly. And they did … they soared toward the height of their possibilities.
Dr. Cole was the director of the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art 2009-17. She emphasized the importance of art as a means of understanding and appreciating African cultures, fostering dialogue, and challenging stereotypes. During her tenure, she expanded the museum’s outreach and accessibility and advocated for diversity and inclusion within the exhibitions and programs.
Throughout her career, Dr. Cole has conducted groundbreaking research that explores the intersections of race, gender, and culture in diverse societies. Her anthropological inquiries have spanned a wide range of topics, including examining the impact of colonialism and globalization on Indigenous communities and exploring the cultural significance of art and symbolism in African and African American contexts. Dr. Cole's work is characterized by its interdisciplinary approach, drawing on insights from sociology, history, and cultural studies to illuminate the intricacies of human behavior and belief systems. One of the hallmark achievements of her anthropological career is her emphasis on giving voice to marginalized communities and challenging dominant narratives that perpetuate stereotypes and inequalities.
Beyond academia, Dr. Cole's commitment to civil rights has extended to her leadership roles in organizations and institutions dedicated to social justice. She has served on the boards of civil rights organizations and has been actively involved in initiatives aimed at advancing racial and gender equity. Her advocacy has included voting rights and criminal justice reform, economic empowerment, and LGBTQ+ rights.
She has written and co-written publications for scholarly and general audiences, including Conversations: Straight Talk with America’s Sister President; All American Women: Lines That Divide, Tides That Bind; and with Beverly Guy-Sheftall, Gender Talk: The Struggle for Women’s Equality in African American Communities. With Rudolph P. Byrd and Beverly Guy-Sheftall, she co-edited I Am Your Sister, Collected and Unpublished Writings of Audre Lorde.
Dr. Johnnetta Betsch Cole continues to inspire countless individuals with her unwavering commitment to justice, equity, and education. Her legacy stands as a beacon.
Dr. Cole’s speeches are documented in a new book titled Speechifying: The Words and Legacy of Johnnetta Betsch Cole.Her profound insights, eloquence, and commitment to social justice are highlighted in speeches on topics such as education, civil rights, anthropology, and Black Studies.
“An education that teaches you to understand something about the world has done only half of the assignment. The other half is to teach you to do something about making the world a better place.”─Johnnetta Cole
Links:Dr. Johnnetta Betsch Cole Book Signing Event for Speechifying