Aware March - Public Schools of Robeson County

Black History Month Event Honors Authors
at Lumberton Senior High
Authors are all
Educators
Students at Lumberton Senior High
School were given a chance to see
history at they listened to three local
African American authors today. The
three authors were Demetria Grissett,
Former State House Representative
Frances Cummings and Elizabeth
Marie Sanders. Grissett's is an
educator and she wrote In Sickness
and Health. Frances Cummings book
is The Girl That Never Quit. Sanders
is also an educator who published 2
books – To Know Avail and
Blindsided. Students listened to the
authors as they told their stories of
their lives and their road to
publication. 9th grader Justin Lewis
said the presentation was profound
as he heard Frances Cummings
describe being the first minority
educator to teach at Lumberton
Senior High School before
integration. "It was important to hear
about what they went through
and what inspired them to write their
books. School library Coordinator
Constance Campbell welcomed and
coordinated the second annual
program.
Dee Grissett: In Sickness and in Health
This Baltimore native worked for eighteen years in
the business world (Financial Aid Counselor) prior
to entering the Public Schools of Robeson County in
2005. She is currently the Career and Technical
Education Coordinator for the Public Schools of
Robeson County. She previously served as the
Career Development Coordinator and Special
Populations Coordinator at Fairmont High School in
Fairmont, North Carolina. She was also the advisor
for the National Technical Honor Society (NTHS),
he School Webmaster, and Teacher Cadet Advisor.
Pictured L- R are Dee Grissett, Louise Odom,
Frances Cummings, Dr. Johnny Hunt and
Constance Campbell (not pictured E. Marie)
E. Marie - Blind Sided
E. Marie Sanders taught in the public school
system for 12 years and has served as a youth
pastor for the past 13 years, observing the habits
of the age group she hoped to write for one day.
Her first published book, To K(no)w Avail, won
Favorite Book of the Year with From A Writer’s POV
Magazine, and her second book, Blindsided,
appeared on Amazon.com’s Contemporary Fiction
Best Seller list. Presently, E. Marie is an English
Instructor at Robeson Community College.
Frances McArthur Cummings: The Girl
Who Never Quit
Is a native Robesonian who retired as an educatoradministrator
from the Public Schools of Robeson
County.Cummings started her career as a master
classroom teacher serving twenty-three years in
Education. During Cummings outstanding career in
public education she was a visionary leader for
education, students, and educators, having
integrated the Lumberton High School as the first
black teacher elected as Teacher of the Year, and
selected as Outstanding Young Educator by the
Jaycees.
Cummings is the Former State Representative in
the NC House – District 87, Robeson, Hoke and
Scotland counties. The first and only female of
Robeson County to serve in the General Assembly
during 1993-1996.
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