Fall 2004 (Vol. 117 No. 2) (PDF) - Spelman College: Home

MessengerS P E L M A NSarah Thompson (left), WISDOM Centerresident and Rev. Lisa Rhodes, Dean ofSisters Chapel and Director of the SistersCenter for WISDOM.Trustee Board ChairYvonne JacksonDr. Jane E. SmithExecutive DirectorTHE ALUMNAE MAGAZINE OF SPELMAN COLLEGEVOLUME 117 NUMBER 2 F ALL 2004

S P E L M A NMessengerEDITORJo Moore StewartCOPY EDITORJanet M. BarstowGRAPHIC DESIGNGaron HartEDITORIAL COMMITTEEEloise Abernathy Alexis, C’86Tomika DePriest, C’89Rosalyn A. HinesWRITERSPatricia Graham Johnson, C’73Denise McFallTaRessa StovallAngela Brown TerrellPHOTOGRAPHERSBy Invitation OnlyWilford HarewoodPfizer, Inc.Bud SmithSpelman ArchivesJulie YarboroughThe Spelman Messenger is published twice ayear (Summer/Fall and Winter/Spring) by SpelmanCollege, 350 Spelman Lane, S.W., Atlanta,Georgia 30314-4399, free of charge for alumnae,donors, trustees and friends of the College. Samplecopies will be mailed free to interested persons.Recipients wishing to change the address towhich the Spelman Messenger is sent shouldnotify the editor, giving both old and newaddresses. Third-class postage paid at Atlanta,Georgia. Publication No. 510240CREDOThe Spelman Messenger, founded in 1885, is dedicated to participating in the ongoingeducation of our readers through enlightening articles designed to promote lifelonglearning. The Spelman Messenger is the alumnae magazine of Spelman College and iscommitted to educating, serving and empowering Black women.Be informed.Get involved.Stay engaged.National Alumnae AssociationOfficers & Contacts2004 – 2005PresidentMarian Rucker-Shamu, C’65president@naasc.orgPresident-ElectDeidra L. Fryer, C’84preselect@naasc.orgAdministrative AssistantDeidre Young Evans, C’91AA2NAASCPres@acninc.netImmediate Past PresidentRosa King Kilpatrick, C’70speldel@aol.comVice-PresidentEloise Abernathy Alexis, C’86ealexis@spelman.eduRecording SecretaryKimberly Sheftall Humphries, C’84recsec@naasc.orgAssistant Recording SecretaryTawa Jogunosimi, C’95tjogunosimi@cps.k12.il.usCorresponding SecretaryBrucetta Williams, C’88corrsec@naasc.orgTreasurerJoyce Jelks, C’70treasurer@naasc.orgAssistant TreasurerPamela Bigelow, C’88assttreas@naasc.orgFinancial SecretaryVeronica Haven, C’73finsec@naasc.orgMembership ChairJennifer Doggett LaPoint, C’84naascmembership@yahoo.comFor more information, go to:www.naasc.org

MessengerS P E L M A NVOLUME 117 NUMBER 2 FALL 2004COVERJane E. Smith, Executive Director2 VoicesFrom Music Prodigy to Spelman LegendJoyce Finch JohnsonBY PATRICIA J OHNSONSpelman Trustee ChairYvonne JacksonBY TaRessa S TOVALLSee page 12.Cover Photo Credits:Jane E. Smith by Bud SmithSarah Thompson and Rev. Lisa Rhodes by Julie YarbroughYvonne Jackson, Courtesy of Pfizer, Inc.8 LEADS ConferenceJane Smith LEADS LeadershipBY D ENISE M CFALLPhoto: Bud Smith14 Books & PapersBook Reviews & Book NotesLEADS ConferenceSee page 8Features18 Sisters Center of WISDOMBY D ENISE M CFALL22 Sarah ThompsonBY D ENISE M CFALL25 Miss SimonBooks & PapersSee page 14.BY PATRICIA J OHNSON28 Hollywood WISE SeriesBY TaRessa S TOVALLAlumnae Notes38 Sister-to-Sister Letter39 Alumnae Achievement40 Alumnae Notes41 Take Note!Wise Words from Miss SimonSee page 25.Photo: Bud Smith50 Reunion 2004Spelman: The Thread That BindsReunion 2004See page 50.57 In Memoriam

FROM MUSIC PRODIGY TO SPELMAN LEGENDDr. Joyce Finch JohnsonBY P A TRICIA G RAHAM J OHNSONVoicesDR. JOYCE FINCH JOHNSON HAS TAUGHT AT SPELMAN FOR 50years. She has performed on hundreds of significantoccasions. She has pioneered in her field and received somany awards they can’t all be listed in a story of thislength. So when I began my interview with her, what wasstill the mystery that I was most curious about? Herappearance, of course.“Dr. Johnson, how long is your hair?” Generations ofstudents have wondered about this since Dr. Johnson hasalways worn it in a bun.“It’s shoulder length, about the same as yours,” she says.“What keeps you so young-looking?” I came with photostaken over the years to prove my point. She doesn’tseem to have aged at all.But the answer to the second question began to revealfar more of Dr. Johnson than just her appearance. “I don’tthink a lot about myself. I don’t fuss about me... I careabout others – how they feel and think. I don’t get upsetabout things. You must have a sense of humor at the workplace,with your relationships and family. I rarely get angry.I stay in a mode of prayer – God and prayer are central tomy life. I don’t exercise, but I don’t have much rest becausethere is always more work to do. I strive for excellence. I lovewhat I do. Spelman is not just my job but it is my vocation.It is joyful work and it’s the place where I show my productivity.”In a split second we hadgone from a discussion of hair tothe heart of Dr. Joyce Johnson.For the alumnae, Dr. Johnsonrepresents familiarity. No matterwhen we return, we can recognizeDr. Johnson because she looks thesame, has the same calm demeanorand she is a constant…alwaysthere. She connected generations ofSpelman alumnae to each otherthrough a collective memory. Shewas the person who played theorgan for Vespers, programs in SistersChapel, Founders Day and theSpelman-Morehouse ChristmasCarol Concerts. We all knew Dr.Johnson, or so we thought.The Joyce Finch Johnson that we thought we knew wasa child prodigy who did not have formal piano classes untilcollege. Dr. Johnson’s mother taught music to neighborhoodchildren and when little Joyce, thought too young forlessons herself, listened to her mother’s instructions to herstudents, Joyce practiced the day’s lessons. Her grandmotherencouraged Joyce to practice hymns. By the timeJoyce was seven, she played for her Sunday school. By nine,she was the church pianist for the Christian ScienceChurch in Bowling Green, Kentucky. By 11, Joyce, who hadbeen playing by ear, became the church pianist for a countryBaptist Church. This experience helped her to increaseher sight-reading skills.When one looks at life, the path not taken may very wellbe as significant as the one taken. It was the “grace of God”in the form of her neighbors that caused Joyce to stay inBowling Green rather than join a touring music group.Silas Green of New Orleans tried to get young Joyce to playjazz and be a draw for the group. Though the lure ofmoney for her family – whom she describes as “poor” –and the excitement of travel were great temptations, herneighbors intervened, protecting her from a path like BillieHoliday’s, leading to drugs and early death. “Jazz was consideredsinful at the time,” Dr. Johnson says. She wanted,however, to continue her journey of music.Dr. Joyce Finch Johnson with Professor Kemper Harreld who was a member of theSpelman music faculty for 27 years. (circa 1953)Spelman Archives2S P E L M A N M E S S E N G E R

Though she could have gone to Juilliard, she decided togo to Fisk University as an early-entrance music major in1949. “Fisk was closer to home but I did not have a scholarship,so my family paid for me to go to Fisk. I was a hardworkingstudent, highly motivated.” She focused on hermusic but she did join Delta Sigma Theta sorority, as wellas being active in the student government and the StudentChristian Association.After graduating from Fisk, Joyce was certified to teachin Nashville but a fateful telegram set in motion her life forthe next 50 years. “There were three people who were foremostin the area of arranging spirituals at that time –William Dawson, Willis James and Dr. John Work.” Dr.Work was one of Joyce Johnson’s professors at Fisk. UponDr. Work’s recommendation, Willis James sent a telegramoffering Joyce a position teaching music theory at Spelman.She accepted the offer and began teaching at Spelmanin 1953. “I never thought of leaving. I had otheroffers, but I did not give them serious thought. I enjoyedSpelman.”Since 1953, Dr. Johnson has been a faculty member atSpelman. She became the college organist in 1955. Shewas twice chair of the Music Department between 1989 and2001. “I was not chair of the Department for the glory butfor the love of Spelman. When Dr. Allison retired, I thoughtit important to step in for the continuity. I am a helper, afollower. I am not interested in power.”With funds provided by the state of Georgia, Dr. Johnsonpursued a master’s in music at Northwestern Universityduring the summers of 1954 through 1957. She then took“I am a helper,a follower. I am notinterested in power.”D R . JOYCE F INCH J OHNSONDr. Joyce Finch Johnson, 2004Spelman ArchivesF A L L 2 0 0 43

Photo: Bud SmithDr. Joyce Finch Johnson and her husband, Aaron Johnson (left), visit with Nick Bowden, principal organist at PeachtreePresbyterian Church in Atlanta. Peachtree Presbyterian established the Joyce F. Johnson Music Scholarship in 2003.a leave of absence and, with the help of a Danforth FoundationFellowship, returned to Northwestern for her doctorate,becoming the first African American woman to obtaina Ph.D. in piano performance from any institution. “Therewere not many Black women organists nationally. Youcould count them on one hand. This was true especially fororganists who could play with concert quality.” Her hintsfor surviving difficult situations are: “You must be selfmotivated.You have to know what you feel and know aboutyourself. It is not what they say about you but what you feeland say about yourself.” Dr. Johnson went to the EastmanSchool of Music and the Columbia University Teachers Collegefor post-doctoral study. She also participated in theWestminster Choir College European Organ Study in 1980and the Summer Institute for French Organ Studies in thesummer of 1996. She is certified as an associate by theAmerican Guild of Organists.But what about her life at Spelman? She married aMorehouse College graduate, Aaron Johnson, in 1959. “Wecourted in Bessie Strong and became engaged on Halloween.My husband loves Halloween because of theengagement. My daughter, Joia, grew up on Spelman’scampus. That is probably why she did not attend Spelman.She attended Duke and the University of Pennsylvania.”As a faculty member, “Spelman has been a place that Icould use my creativity. The challenge has been translatingand channeling my skills, talents and knowledge in waysthat can be meaningful to Spelman and myself. If whatyou offer is not appreciated, you do not give up on yourgoals. You do not sacrifice your values because of fads orwhims. For example, I started Quiet Hours for the purposeof providing a period of meditation for the community.This was during the 1960s and a time of Black consciousness.I felt it important to keep Euro-Classical music in theminds of people. I also could keep my own skills and organperformance repertoire.” She has had unexpected significantexperiences in history, such as playing the organ forthe community when Martin Luther King, Jr. lay in state inSisters Chapel in 1968.Dr. Johnson did not forget her roots in the church. Shewas a part of a 13-member national committee that conceived,designed and produced The New Century Hymnal,4S P E L M A N M E S S E N G E R

“I started Quiet Hours for the purpose of providing a periodof meditation for the community. This was during the 1960sand a time of Black consciousness.”D R . JOYCEJ OHNSONpublished by United Church of Christ and released in June1995. She also contributed eight arrangements of hymns.When asked about her observations of the students overthe years, she simply says, “The generations of students aredifferent, with different exposures and opportunities. Thecurrent students are no better than previous students.” Shepauses and comments, “Today’s students seem to want toblend in rather than stand out. Students want good gradesbut the levels of effort, aspirations and needs differ. Studentsvalue materialism; therefore we need to build inethics and integrity in all that we do. That is hard to do. Itis important that students who come in with hip-hop notleave with just hip-hop. They should leave with a palette ofmusical experiences. They should leave Spelman withmore than they came with.”Dr. Johnson’s job titles – professor of music and Collegeorganist – do not begin to describe the breadth of herimpact nor her penetration into the fabric of Spelman’sinstitutional memory. She has been the accompanist forthe Morehouse-Spelman Christmas Carol Concert fordecades. She continues to be the accompanist for recitals ofartists such as Mattiwilda Dobbs, William Warfield, HildaHarris and Elwyn Adams. She accompanies seniors in theirrecitals as well as in departmental matinees. Some of herstudents have gone on into jazz or on to get graduatedegrees. In addition to her numerous music classes, shehas served as the adviser for Spelman’s Sigma Alpha IotaMusic Fraternity, Zeta Phi Chapter and for Delta SigmaTheta sorority, Eta Kappa Chapter. Thousands of Spelmanwomen have been touched by her “musical magic”through their participation in the weekly campus churchprograms, the Founders Day Convocations and other SistersChapel events. She has served on many College committeesand was on the board of trustees as the facultytrustee for two terms. Music may be Dr. Johnson’s passion,but her service at Spelman is her gift.Dr. Johnson has also accomplished much outside ofSpelman’s gates. She has been the solo pianist for theAtlanta Symphony Orchestra, the Albany SymphonyOrchestra and the Savannah Symphony Orchestra. She hasbeen on the boards of the Atlanta Symphony Associates, theNeighborhood Arts Center, the Atlanta Lyric Opera Association,the Georgia Chamber Players, and the Georgia Partnersof the Americas. She has been honored by the MusicTeachers National Association with their National Certificationin Piano. Both the Atlanta and Decatur chapters of theNational Alumnae Association of Spelman College have recognizedDr. Johnson. She has been named the Iota BronzeWoman of the Year in the Arts and has received the NationalAssociation of Negro Musicians Award, the Lexus Leader inthe Arts Award and – from Spelman – the Fannie LouHamer Award and the Presidential Award for DistinguishedService. Recently, the Peachtree Presbyterian Church inAtlanta established the Joyce F. Johnson Music Scholarshipto initiate a relationship between Spelman and the church.Dr. Johnson is now pondering her next step. She is “nottired” and this is not “the end.” Even after a lifetime associatedwith music, she still practices. However, she is consideringher transition from Spelman. She wants to helpSpelman even in her transition and retirement “I couldhelp the institution by working with the music students wholeft Spelman before getting their degrees, helping them tocomplete their degrees. Since Spelman is planning a newfine arts building, maybe I can help in creative ways by tapingresources for the building.” Whatever she puts in placeduring her transition, she hopes that it will “flower.”•PATRICIA GRAHAM JOHNSON, C’73, is a frequentcontributing writer for the Spelman Messenger. Inaddition, she works on special assignments for theSpelman College archives.F A L L 2 0 0 45

THE WISDOM OF LIVING YOUR VALUESThe road that has taken Yvonne R. Jackson, C’70, from South CentralLos Angeles to outstanding corporate success, and from flunking a biologyclass at Spelman to leading the College’s board of trustees, has been alesson in identifying and living her strongest, most enduring values.BY T A R ESSA S TOVALLPhoto: Bud SmithWhen Ms. Jackson arrived at Spelman, “sight unseen”from Los Angeles, she was 17 years old and away from hertwin sister, Yvette, for the very first time. She had beeninspired to attend Spelman by the example of her auntMignon Lackey Lewis, C’51. Like her mother and grandmother,Ms. Jackson planned to become a teacher. But thefreedom of campus life proved a distraction. “I was a kid,the first time away from home without all of the constraints.Every day, I went to a party. I didn’t study and Ithought I could get by. I didn’t get by.”She flunked biology – “one of the first failures of mylife” – which was a wake-up call. “I called home thinkingI wasn’t going to make it at Spelman and my mother said,‘You will fail at lots of other things in life and you will justcome back and do it again.’”Buoyed by her mother’s wise words and the inspirationof “being around some extremely talented and brightBlack women who shared my skin color,” Ms. Jacksonfocused on academics. Thanks to a history course from Dr.Vincent Harding and an economics course from Dr. RooseveltThomas at Morehouse, she majored in history with aminor in business experience.After graduation, Ms. Jackson’s fascination with“human potential” led her to top human resources positionsin such major corporations as Pfizer Inc., CompaqComputer Corporation and Burger King Corporation.Today, she is senior vice president, human resources, atPfizer Inc. and a member of the Pfizer leadership team, thecompany’s senior executive governing body. She headsglobal human resources for the New York-based pharmaceutical,which has 122,000 employees worldwide.6S P E L M A N M E S S E N G E R

The keys to success in her field have changed over theyears, she says. Today, they are “analytical skills, strategicskills, organizational change capabilities, compassion andempathy.” How has she stayed grounded through the challengesof building a successful corporate career in a verydemanding and competitive environment? “I have verystrong values; with that I therefore have strong points ofview. I’m also very positive. I tend to see the glass half full,but I also plan for the downside. I am achievement-orientedand feel successful with achieving goals. What haskept me grounded personally is my husband and family.”As a human resources expert, she advises young Spelmanwomen to “build the best analytical skills, business skills andorganizational effective process change skills as possible.”Her most important advice, though, is “to think aboutwhat we value,” Jackson says. In her position as a humanrelations expert, she often asks people what they valuemost. “When people say that their kids are what they valuemost, for instance, I give them my calendar-and-checkbooktest. If something’s valuable to you, you’ve got tocheck your calendar – how much time do you spend on it?And you’ve got to check your checkbook – how muchmoney do you give to it?”“I’ve always said that Spelman was very valuable to me.I felt a need to respond to that by giving back my time andmy money.” Shortly after she graduated, Ms. Jackson stayedconnected to Spelman through The Spelman Alumnae-Student Externship (SASE) program where Spelman studentsshadowed her at work for a week. She then joined theSpelman Corporate Women’s Roundtable, which she endedup chairing. She joined the Board of Trustees first as analumna trustee, then as a regular trustee. “I have stayedclose to Spelman because I felt I had a lot to offer, bothfinancially and otherwise.”Ms. Jackson had been a leading alumnae donor, with$10,000 annual gifts, when then-President Johnnetta Coleasked her to increase her giving for Spelman’s new CapitalCampaign. “She asked me for a large gift,” Ms. Jacksonremembers. “When I asked how large, she said, ‘$100,000.’I didn’t gulp. I thought about it for a minute or so, andthen I said ‘I think I could do that.’”Part of knowing and living your values, Ms. Jacksonsays, is to know what is most important. “When people askme to do things, I tell them I have three priorities: one ismy family, two is my work, and three is Spelman. That’s allI can do. Some people spread themselves too thin; I don’t. Istay focused.”As the third alumna to chair the board of trustees, Ms.Jackson’s focus is on “leveraging the board to help PresidentTatum deliver the resources that Spelmanneeds.”Chairing the board of the College she loves “is anextreme honor, and a lot of hard work,” Ms. Jackson says.“I would like to see Spelman become all that she could be.Many people believe Spelman is a wealthy institution…and in many ways she is. She is wealthy because sheattracts some of the most talented, serious, capable andinnovative Black women in the country and the world whowant to understand themselves as Black women and havethe best education in America.“In order to ensure that Spelman delivers both, wemust, as a Board, ensure that we are bringing the rightkinds of resources to the Institution. We have a presidentwho has a vision to deliver outstanding services and asupreme and unique education. I have inherited a Boardwhich is engaged and ready to do their part.”Her vision? To build on Spelman’s strengths and successesto see it become one of the top 50 liberal arts colleges– not just a top Historically Black College – in America.With that, Ms. Jackson asks her fellow Spelman alumnaeto take her values-measuring calendar-and-checkbooktest. “No one understands our unique institution, or theneed to preserve it, more than we do. To sustain andincrease the academic excellence we have at Spelman, weneed money and we’re going to have to find it. We need tomake sure we’re competitive—we’re competing with Harvard,with Boston University, with UCLA for these women,and we’re going to need the resources to attract them.We’re getting more air conditioned dorms, and finishingup wiring the dorms so that we have wireless technology forour students’ computers. These things are basic today.“Spelman is important to me and it has been importantto many, many African American women. And I know thatit will go by the wayside if we don’t put our energy, our timeand our money into it.”Marian Wright Edelman, C’60, founder and presidentof the Children’s Defense Fund, chaired the Spelman Boardof Trustees from 1979 to 1989 and Dr. June Gary Hopps, C’60, Parham professor of social work and retired dean of theGraduate School of Social Work at Boston College, chairedit from 1997 to 2004. •TARESSA STOVALL, co-editor of the anthology PROVERBSFOR THE PEOPLE: Contemporary African-American Literature,is an author and professor living in New Jersey.F A L L 2 0 0 47

MessengerF E A T U R EHISTORIC “WOMEN OF COLOR”LEADERSHIP CONFERENCELaunches a New Frontier of LeadershipB Y D ENISE M C F ALLPhotos: Bud Smith and Wilford Harewood8Drawing more than a thousand of the nation’sbest and brightest “women of color” to the campusof Spelman College and Georgia World CongressCenter, by all accounts, the first-everleadership conference for women of diverse ethnic backgroundsto be held at a historically Black college or universitymet with unprecedented success. Hosted by theCollege’s Center for Leadership & Civic Engagement, affectionatelyknown as LEADS, the Women of Color–Leadershipfor the 21st Century: It’s Our Turnconference, held on May 12-13, 2004, convened an impressiveroster of world-class thought leaders from throughoutthe public and private sectors to forge new areas of inquiryabout the ways in which the issues of race and gender resonatein the workplace and society-at-large.With “women of color” as the fastest growing and mostinfluential demographic group in the nation, developingleadership acumen among minority women remains a toppriority at Spelman. Held during Reunion 2004, the twodayleadership symposium, summit and conference providedan informative and educational “value added”experience for visiting alumnae and a rare opportunity forfaculty, administrators, students and other women of diverseprofessional and ethnic backgrounds to immerse themselvesin Spelman’s extraordinary brand of sisterhood.While the magnitude of the occasion was evident amongthe classmates, colleagues, and friends who filled the audi-torium of the Camille Olivia Hanks Cosby Center on the firstday of the conference, there was also something intimateand elemental about this large gathering of women comingtogether on common ground to share their insights aboutthe trials and tribulations of racism and genderism.Prominent among the conference presenters was Dr.Beverly Daniel Tatum, president of Spelman College, whoseLEADS initiative formed the basis for the conference organizedby the Center’s founding co-directors, KimberlyBrowne Davis, C’81, a managing director of JPMorgan-Chase, and Pamela G. Carlton, president and co-founder ofthe New York-based leadership development firm Springboard,Inc.“We [African American women] often have a difficulttime talking about gender because we are sodedicated and committed to talking about leadershipwithin the race. We need to continue toaddress the opportunities and challenges thatrelate to gender without feeling we have abandonedthe race discussion.”Dr. Jane E. Smith, C’68Chief Executive OfficerBusiness and Professional Women/USAAddressing the symposium plenary session, Drs. KumeaShorter-Gooden and Katherine Giscombe, notedresearchers in the field of women’s studies, spoke to “TheState of Women of Color.” Their respective research findingsdispel many of the myths most often associated withwomen of ethnic minority backgrounds. For example,despite popular belief, “women of color” do not earn morethan “men of color.” “While we [“women of color”] haveheightened visibility in rarified, senior-level positions, weare also subject to more intense scrutiny, making us morevulnerable to criticism and discrimination,” says Dr. Gis-S P E L M A N M E S S E N G E R

combe. “Our research findings give qualitative validity tothe fact that “women of color” are both grossly under representedand grossly under paid at the highest reaches ofthe corporate America where only 1.2% of corporate officersare minority women,” she adds.Salary DisparitiesWhite Men as Compared to Women of ColorWhite Men $1.00Asian Women .75White Women .70African American Women .63Native American Women .58Latina Women .53Source: U.S. Bureau of LaborDr. Giscombe provides further insight when speaking tothe unique challenges of Latina and Asian women: “Whileequally disturbing, the challenges may be quite differentfrom those experienced by African American women.Although skin color may not be the focal point of the moresubtle forms of discrimination heaped upon Latin Americanand Asian women in the workplace, these women mayoften deal with the language barriers inherent in havingEnglish as a second language, or dispelling the “hotLatina” or “china doll” stereotypes. And, because of theability of some lighter-skinned Latinas to “pass,” some Hispanicwomen must also deal with negotiating their trueidentities in the white world.”Exploring the workplace and beyond, Dr. Shorter-Gooden echoes the chorus of survey responses of AfricanAmerican women to her research on the cultural realitiesof relationships and community as well as those of beauty,body image and “colorism” in the context of society’sdevaluation of African physical features, even within theBlack community. In her book, Shifting: The Double Livesof Black Women in America, Dr. Shorter-Gooden exposesthe internal and external manifestations of genderism andbigotry, the significant emotional energy “women of color”expend in responding to bias, and the negative impact “fittingin” has on our overall well being.“Like chameleons, we move in and out of our privatelives in ways that cause problematic shiftsleading to high rates of depression, emotionalovereating, hypertension, sleep disorders, abusiverelationships and manifestations of the “SisterellaComplex”—the proverbial strong Black womanwho refuses to acknowledge her needs by wearing amask of hyperfunctionalism.”Dr. Kumea Shorter-GoodenProfessor of PsychologyAlliant International UniversityIn panel discussions moderated by Dr. Beverly Guy-Sheftall, Anna J. Cooper Professor of Women’s Studies anddirector of Spelman’s Women’s Research and ResourceCenter; clinical/organizational psychologist Dr. PatriciaRomney, president, Romney Associates; Dr. Jane E. Smith,C’68, chief executive officer, Business and ProfessionalWomen/USA; and Dr.Tatum, some of the nation’s most distinguishedwomanist scholars and social activists engagedin spirited discourses about the never-ending quest to seek adelicate balance between the responsibilities of demandingcareers and equally demanding personal lives. “Regardlessof the existence of financial and other resources, the lives of“women of color” tend to be fraught with concerns andconsiderations that are relatively absent from the lives ofour majority peers,” says Dr. Romney.We need to develop strategies to penetrate theessential, informal networks of business andindustry, strategies that will enable us to reach thehighest levels of corporate authority. As “women ofcolor,” we need to address the issues of underemployment,salary inequity, stereotypical charac-F A L L 2 0 0 49

terizations, and the absence of an adequate pool of“men of color” to serve as companions, help-mates,husbands and fathers.”Dr. Patricia RomneyClinical/Organizational Psychologist and PresidentRomney Associates, Inc.The statistics and testimonies brought forth in the“Mentoring and Sponsorship for Women of Color” discussionreinforces the need to establish broad-based mentoringrelationships. “There is an undeniable correlationbetween supportive alliances and career advancement,”says Dr. Becky Wai-Ling Packard, assistant professor of psychologyand education, Mt. Holyoke College. Speaking tothe importance of developing one’s own “board of directors”for professional support and guidance, the expertsalso stress the difficulty “women of color,” often experiencein gaining mentors, given the tendency of many corporatecultures to be less than supportive of mentoring relationshipsacross race and gender.The purpose of the conference, however, was not simplyto note the current state of affairs facing “women of color,”but also to provide strategies and solutions to address theseunique obstacles. Led by Dr. Tatum, the intergroup dialogue,“The Call to Lead: Strategies for Collaborative LeadershipModels and Initiatives,” provided a thought-provoking synthesisof Day One of the conference that culminated with afestive Women of Color Networking Reception for participants,presenters and corporate sponsors.Building on the excitement and momentum of the previousday, Day Two of the conference featured noted economist,author and syndicated columnist Dr. JulianneMalveaux who “brought down the house” with a rousingkeynote address that spoke to the concept of “voice” in ahostile society—the voice we are denied, and the voice wedeny ourselves. “Our lives would be transformed if we evergot to the table,” Dr. Malveaux suggests, “but if we ever getto the table, what will we say? What will we do? ” She urgesus to embrace the notion that leadership is not merely aministry of presence, but one of action—that we must bewilling to “talk-the-talk” and walk-the-walk” if we are tomake a qualitative difference in our lives and in the lives ofothers, and that we have a responsibility to lift up ourvoices in opposition to the widespread abuses of power thatnegate leadership opportunities for “women of color.”Dr. Malveaux goes on to enumerate some of the ways inwhich “women of color” often enslave themselves. Peeringout over the multigenerational audience of fashionablydressed, well-heeled women, she cautions us to watch carefullywhat we spend, and where we spend it. “ If there’s oneplace we have equality, it’s in the amount of money we owethrough credit card debt. Worse yet, 12% of Black folks ownabsolutely nothing!” Taking a hefty swat at the so-called“Queen Bees”—Black women who, regrettably, wear theirunique positions as the one and only “sistah” in the house[within their organizations] as badges of honor—sheadmonishes their inflated egos: “If you think you’re leadin’and nobody is followin’,” she cautions, “you’re not leadin’,you’re just trippin’!”“You can tell who you are by looking at yourcalendar and your checkbook, because how youspend your time and your money is a directreflection of your values.”Dr. Julianne MalveauxEconomist/Author/Syndicated ColumnistThe research findings of Dr. Ella L. Bell, associate professorof business administration, Tuck School of Business,Dartmouth College, the ESSENCE WOW Report, and thetechnologically driven, on-site survey of conference participantsadministered by Dr. Bell, provided a colorful portraitof the attitudes and aspirations of African Americanwomen. The comparative demographic and ethnographicdata reveal the insidious manner in which the authorityand credibility of “women of color” are constantly beingtested, resulting in blatant status and power differentials. Inassessing the effects of the racial binary of white superiorityand black inferiority, Dr. Bell proclaims: “It’s clear that thepsychosocial effects of racism and genderism continue todevastate those who experience such disparities of opportunity.Likewise, the nation’s stake in the increasingly competitiveglobal economy is significantly weakened by itscontinued failure to fully capitalize on the attributes of‘women of color’ as an invaluable human resource.”“Race has always been a lynch-pin stratifier.As “women of color,” we need to expose the fiction,know the context, expand the relational framework,and develop compassionate allies to address thestatus and power differentials.”10S P E L M A N M E S S E N G E R

Dr. Maureen WalkerFaculty Member and Director of Program DevelopmentJean Baker Miller Training Institute Stone Center atWellesley CollegeAssociate Director, MBA Support Services,Harvard Business SchoolMore than a dozen concurrent workshops and seminarsprovided additional opportunities for in-depth discussionsabout the significant aspects of leadership development, thepolitical process, financial management and entrepreneurship,art and social commentary, faith and spirituality, andstress relief through health and wellness, all of which illuminatedhow the issues associated with race, gender,nationality, religion, language, class, culture, color, age andother dimensions of differentness serve as impediments toachievement. As one might expect, given the statistical realitiesof eligible and available “men of color”, among themost popular small group sessions was “Where Is My LeadingMan? —Man Love and Self Love,” in which participantscandidly shared their innermost feelings about lovingthemselves in the absence of man-centered validation.Scheduled to coincide with conference activities, two ageappropriateSpelbound Youth Seminars were conducted forlocal middle and high school students and the children ofSpelman reunioning alumnae. The Merrill Lynch Foundation,as part of its highly successful, national “Jump Start”initiative, presented an interactive workshop to promotefinancial literacy and the development of sound financialmanagement skills, while the New York-based, public relationsexecutive and community development specialist TerrieWilliams led the older students in a series of inventiveexercises geared toward youth leadership development.The conference luncheon provided the occasion for TheHonorable Shirley Clarke Franklin, the first African Americanwoman to serve as mayor of Atlanta, to address the auspiciousgathering. The mayor recieved the first-ever“Legacy of Leadership” award along with other awardrecipients Derrick A. Bell, Jr., visiting professor, New YorkUniversity School of Law; Yvonne R. Jackson, senior vicepresident, Human Resources, Pfizer, Inc., John E. Pepper,Jr., vice president for finance and administration, Yale University.They were recognized for their exemplary contributionsin shaping the destinies of past, current and futuregenerations of leaders and their advancement of womenand women’s issues in the public and private sectors.supports our suspicions, but serves as a foundationfor meaningful dialogue and the sharing ofbest practices.”Dr. Westina MatthewsFirst Vice President, Community LeadershipMerrill LynchCommenting on the focus and value of the conference,perhaps Dr. Jane Smith best expresses what is in the heartsand minds of the vast majority of alumnae participants:“Spelman is now a brand name that means leadership,service and quality. With each new president, with eachgraduating class, with each entering class, there are newopportunities to engage our work. We need to embrace ourpower and our possibilities. We simply cannot forget orignore the significance of gender as we find new ways tocontribute to business, industry and society through civicengagement…and through Spelman.”Mark your calendar…May 2005!Building on the enormous success of this year’s conference,next year’s event, scheduled for May 2005, promises toattract an even greater number of participants and corporatesponsors to delve even deeper into the existing andnewly emerging issues and challenges that preclude theadvancement of “women of color” from reaching thehighest rungs of the leadership ladder. •DENISE McFALL, an Atlanta-based freelance writer withan extensive background in higher education administration,program management and curriculum development,is a frequent contributor of articles and publications thatfocus on notable initiatives in higher education.“While we frequently hear about personal experiencesrelated to race and gender, many of us havenot had access to the hard data. The researchinformation provided at the conference not onlyF A L L 2 0 0 411

DR. JANE E. SMITHAppointed to Head The Center for Leadership and Civic Engagement12B Y D ENISE M C F ALLSpelman College announces the appointmentof alumna Dr. Jane E. Smith, C’68, asexecutive director of the College’s Center forLeadership & Civic Engagement. The Center,affectionately known as Spelman LEADS, waslaunched in October 2003 under the visionaryleadership of founding co-directors KimberlyBrowne Davis, C’81, and Pamela G. Carlton.Building on the foundation established by Ms.Davis and Ms. Carlton, Dr. Smith, formerly chiefexecutive officer of Business and ProfessionalWomen/USA (BPW), assumed the directorship ofSpelman LEADS on August 9, 2004.While at BPW – one of the oldest women’s advocacyorganizations in the nation – Dr. Smith wasresponsible for promoting equity for all women inthe workplace through advocacy, education andinformation. “Civic engagement is an amazing‘industry’ to me,” says Dr. Smith. “My entire careerhas been steeped in service and activism, and I perceivemy work at the Center to be a continuation ofmy efforts to accumulate those skills that can be ofbenefit to others,” she adds. “Life has provided somany opportunities for me to both lead and serve,so I have a deep gratitude that Dr. Tatum’s vision forthe leadership center so closely matches my own,and my need to come full circle in the fulfillment ofmy own personal growth.”Dr. Smith’s first priority is to engage in a selfimposed,structured orientation, and conversationswith Spelman students, faculty, staff and alumnaethat will lead to shaping the Center’s future direction.Building on the enormous success of the firstSpelman LEADS conference held in May 2004, shewill then begin the task of planning for a secondannual “women of color” leadership conferenceand strengthening the program’s “Leaders onLeadership” series, a premier forum in which distinguishedwomen leaders from industry, academia,government and the nonprofit sector sharetheir experiences, challenges and insights on whatit takes to lead in today’s global society. “I’m cominginto this position with an incredible rolodex, alist of leadership contacts from all walks of life.That list now belongs to Spelman,” says Dr. Smith,“and we’re going to use it!”In discussing her long-term goals for SpelmanLEADS, she is both passionate and definitive.“Spelman has always stood for leadership, and theleadership center is a programmatic extension ofthat long-standing tradition. Every student atSpelman knows exactly where she is. BecauseSpelman is an institution of resources and privilege,we all know that we are at a place that preparesus to make a positive difference in thequality of life, if we choose to use all that is availableto us. First and foremost, I have a vision tocreate a premier leadership center that providescutting-edge leadership models not only for Spelmanstudents, but also for students everywhere. Wewant the Center to be a place where the concept ofcivic engagement as the foundation of democracyis explored from the perspective of African Americanwomen and other women of color, a convenerof women from around the world to discuss leadershipand civic engagement as a foundation forincreased acceptance of differences. The task ishuge, and Spelman can do it!”Dr. Smith relocated from Atlanta to the nation’scapital six years ago to assume the position ofpresident and chief executive officer of theNational Council of Negro Women (NCNW). Inher role at NCNW – an umbrella internationalvolunteer membership organization that includes38 national women’s organizations and morethan 250 community and college-based chapters– she directed worldwide strategies to improve thequality of life for families at the neighborhoodlevel, inspired the grassroots work being done byits members and focused on capacity buildingwith emphasis on strengthening the organization’sfinancial base and membership development.She was later appointed by PresidentWilliam Clinton to the National Women’s BusinessCouncil, and by former Secretary of StateMadeleine Albright to the Beijing Plus Five Conferencedelegation.Dr. Smith has served on the advisory boards ofPrudential Insurance Company, Citizen andSouthern Bank (now Bank of America) and FleetBank and as a member of the national judgingpanel for inductees into the 2001–2002 and“Spelman has always stood for leadership, and theleadership center is a programmatic extension of thatlong-standing tradition.” —DR. JANE E. SMITH, C’682002–2003 National Women’s Hall of Fame. Afounding member of the Women’s Chamber ofCommerce and a judge for Lifetime Television’s2003 Lifetime Achievement Awards, she currentlyconsults with several foundations on topics relatedto leadership, education, race and families incommunities. Her award-winning work has beenfeatured on CNN and in ESSENCE, Life, Emergeand Ebony magazines.Dr. Smith began her professional career in 1975at Spelman College as assistant professor of sociologyand director of freshman studies. Later, as assistantto President Donald M. Stewart, she was selectedfor an American Council on Education Fellowshipand assumed the responsibility for managing Spelman’smulti-year, seven-million-dollar AdvancedS P E L M A N M E S S E N G E R

Institutional Development Grant. From 1979through 1980, Dr. Smith served as assistant vicepresident for development of Atlanta University andas a member of the president’s strategic planningmanagement team before moving on to assumemanaging directorships of INROADS/Atlanta andINROADS/ Detroit wherein she implemented careerdevelopment services for over 300 college internsand 50 sponsoring corporations.In 1991, Mrs. Coretta Scott King invited Dr.Smith to serve as director of development at theMartin Luther King Center for Nonviolent SocialChange. Under the guidance of Mrs. King andChristine King Farris, vice president of The KingCenter and associate professor and director ofSpelman’s Learning Resources Center, Dr. Smithgained entrée into the civil rights leadership arenawhile assisting Mrs. King and Professor King inproducing the events that commemorated the25th anniversary of Dr. King’s assassination.Reporting directly to President Jimmy Carter, from1994 to 1998 she directed The Atlanta Project, acommunity development initiative of The CarterCenter that fostered partnerships between 20neighborhood clusters and community advocates,churches, private and government service agencies,and corporations.As a third-generation native Atlantan, Dr.Smith’s roots in Atlanta and at Spelman Collegerun deep and wide. First introduced to the Collegeas a nursery school student, she has been “in andout” of Spelman all of her life, attending manyprograms at the College before her enrollment asan undergraduate student. Her mother’s greataunt, Victoria Simmons, was a member of Spelman’ssecond graduating class. Her mother,Lavada Johnson Smith, was a member of the classof 1943, and her aunt, Georgia Smith Dickens,C’42, was a 2001 recipient of the Spelman CollegeAlumnae Achievement Award for civic service.There is a host of other relatives with close ties toSpelman, including Dr. Smith’s second cousin,Ché Smith, a member of the Class of 2005, and herniece, Dr. Jamillah Karim, who joined the SpelmanCollege faculty in the Department of Philosophyand Religion in the fall of 2004. Added to that,she also counts several “Morehouse men” amongher closest relatives, including her father, retiredAtlanta dentist Dr. Harvey Smith, and his father,The Reverend Harvey Smith.While a student at Spelman, Dr. Smith was amember of the Granddaughters Club, served as aclass officer during her freshman and senior yearsPhoto: Bud Smithand, as a senior, served on the editorial staff ofSpotlight. It was, in fact, during her senior yearthat Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated. Inresponse to this momentous and historic event, Dr.Smith, along with former Spelman College deanof students, Freddye Hill, C’68, and a handful ofother classmates, founded the student organization“Sisters in Blackness” to enrich their collegeexperience through activism.As a sociology major, Dr. Smith counts amongher many mentors Dr. Harry LeFever, then chair ofthe Sociology Department, and Professor MillicentDobbs Jordan, who brought her unique brand ofpassion and commitment to community serviceinto the classroom through the study of Englishliterature. Throughout the years, there have beenothers at Spelman who have impacted Dr. Smith’sunderstanding of and commitment to issues ofrace and gender, such as Dr. Beverly Guy-Sheftall,Anna J. Cooper Professor of Women’s Studies anddirector of the Women’s Research and ResourceCenter, who Dr. Smith views as the nation’s preeminentauthority on issues that affect the lives ofBlack women and other women of color.Dr. Smith holds a bachelor of arts degree insociology from Spelman College, a master’s degreein sociology from Emory University, a doctorate ofeducation in social policy analysis from HarvardUniversity, and honorary doctorates from SpelmanCollege and Texas College. She is a member ofPhoto: Bud SmithDelta Sigma Theta Sorority and a recipient of theEmory University Alumni Medal, the AmericanAssociation of University Women’s 2002 Woman ofDistinction Award and the Chicago Spelman CollegeAlumnae Association’s first Johnnetta B. ColeAchievement Award.Today, in addition to crafting a stellar professionalcareer, her time and interest are devoted tomaintaining close ties with her family, whichincludes her father, two adult sons and four grandchildren.When questioned about the legacy shehopes to leave Spelman, Dr. Smith’s response is ashumble as it is sincere: “I now have the opportunityto bring all that I am, and all that I ever hope to be,to the Spelman table. I simply want Spelman to beproud of me as an example of what they created.” •F A L L 2 0 0 413

Books&PapersBOOK REVIEWSA NGELA B ROWN T ERRELLNon-FictionTheir Memories,Our Treasure:Conversations WithAfrican AmericanWomen of WisdomVolume I and II in the SIS(Spelman’s Independent Scholars)Oral History Project.Under the direction of Dr. Gloria WadeGayles, this project explores the livesof 19 women, ages 70 to 95, of diverselifetime accomplishments. Each ofthese mentors was interviewed atlength by Spelman’s Young Scholars,themselves from various backgroundsand study disciplines.The value of this project, writesYoung Scholar Danielle Phillips, isthat “…intergenerational learningin SIS has been one of the most memorableexperiences of our education atSpelman College. …[T]his volume isour way of honoring them (Womenof Wisdom) and sharing the wisdomthey shared with us.”What Matters Most:Ten Lessons in LivingPassionately from the“Song of Solomon”by Dr. Renita J. Weems(Warner Books)Bible scholar, minister and writer, Dr.Weems has followed her successfulbooks including Showing Mary,Just A Sister Away and Listening toGod, with another excursion intothe world of spirituality andwomen. Using the Bible’s mostromantic writing, Dr. Weems challengesthe reader to look beyondthe yearnings of a lovestruckmaiden in search of her lover, tosee the strength and determinationof the Shulammite to findher own place on her own termsin God’s plan for her life.Have you ever wonderedwhy the Bible would include abook of erotic poetry in itsteachings, especially one writtenby a woman? “Thewoman’s open, candid talkabout love, passion, desireand longing reminds us thatwe are not just spiritual andrational creatures. We areindisputably physical andsexual beings, despite all ofour Sunday morning, highand holy pretensions,”writes Dr. Weems, who wasnamed to the Williamand Camille Cosby VisitingProfessorship in theHumanities at SpelmanCollege. She is also anassociate professor at Vanderbilt UniversityDivinity School, where sheteaches Old Testament studies.When speaking of “living passionately,”Dr. Weems addresses ourwhole selves. The 10 lessons cover TheSelf, Identity, Truth, Balance, Choices,Inner Wisdom, Danger, Your Body,Sacrifice, Sex and Love. Put into thecontext of our spirituality, and byusing the Bible as our guide, women,especially Black women, can begin todispense with the schizophrenic dualitiesof being good girls versus bad; ofbeing aggressive versus submissive, ofbeing outspoken versus silent, ofbeing depressed instead of happy.“Ours is a journey of discovery anddevelopment, of integrating both theshadow and the light of our characterinto our whole, yet complex, personality,”Dr. Weems writes.Dr. Weems helpfully includes exercisesat the end of each chapter forreaders to journal their personal feelings,making it a great tool forwomen’s Bible studies and othergroups. Through her examination ofthe hidden messages in the ancientShulammite’s poetry, Dr. Weems offersa guide for today’s women to enjoythe blessings God has planned foreach of us.14 S P E L M A N M E S S E N G E R

FICTIONNow Is The Time toOpen Your Heartby Alice Walker(Random House)In her newest novel, award-winningauthor Alice Walker explores awoman’s mid-life journey in searchof her spiritual foundation.Kate Talkingtree is a successful57-year-old writer who finds herselfstill trying to find what her life is allabout. Married many times and livingwith her latest lover, Yolo, ayounger man and artist, Kate decidesto leave him and heads out for anall-woman rafting trip down theColorado River. At the same time,Yolo, feeling deserted, decides to seekhis own adventure and travels toHawaii.These parallel journeys willeither lead Kate and Yolo to separatelives or unite them in a strongerrelationship. Mixed into their individualadventures are dreams, flashbacks,the Amazon jungle, anacondasnakes, shamans, spiritists, pastpains and joys, the wisdom of an All-Knowing Grandmother spirit andthe ancient beliefs of the Hawaiians.Ms. Walker’s storytelling is oftenconfusing as we are led from past topresent to future adventures at analmost dizzying rate. But saving itall are her inimitable and poeticwriting skills that keep us reading tothe conclusion. In other words, youmay not understand everything AliceWalker writes, but you’ll enjoy therichness and beauty of your readingjourney.A Love Storyby Denene Millner andNick Chiles(Dutton)Few contemporary writers can tacklerelationships any better than thehusband-wife team of Denene Millnerand Nick Chiles. Their non-fictiontomes, What Brothers Think,What Sistahs Know: The Real Dealon Love and Relationships, andprevious fiction, Love Don’t LiveHere Anymore, were bestsellers.A Love Story asks the question,can childhood buddies of the oppositesex find love and happiness witheach other? And if friends becomelovers, will they ruin the bonds thatformed their friendship?When the young Aaron movesacross the street from Nina, an inseparablebond is formed. They see eachother through schoolyard fights,family feuds and puppy love excursions.Now, 25 years later, they’re at acrossroads in their relationship. Suddenly,they submit to an intimateattraction for one another that otherpeople saw, but which they hadrefused to acknowledge.Things change. Nina knows toomuch about Aaron and he knowstoo many of her secrets. The arouseddoubts and tensions seem insurmountable.If you like romance with an edge,check this out.ANGELA BROWN TERRELL is a freelancewriter in Columbia, Maryland.16S P E L M A N M E S S E N G E R

Book Notes E LOISE A BERNATHY A LEXIS, C’86 AND P A TRICIA G RAHAM J OHNSON, C’73Billie Montgomery Cook, C’73, is the author of The Real Deal: A Spiritual Guide for Black TeenGirls, a handbook for African-American teenage girls addressing such topics as self-esteem, friendship,work, sexuality and suicide. Written in a tone and vernacular designed to appeal to the target audience,each section concludes with a prayer, self-assessment and scriptural references. In The Real Deal, Ms.Cook offers “realistic comfort, counsel, advice and hope.” In addition to counseling and communicatingwith her teenage daughter, she is coordinator of the drama ministry at Third Baptist Church inPortsmouth, Virgina. (ISBN 0-8170-1458-6; Judson Press, Valley Forge, Pa., www.judsonpress.com)The latest literary release by celebrated children’s author Deborah “Debbi” Chocolate, C’76, isPigs Can Fly! This endearing collection of four stories is based on the adventures of the invincible HarrietPig, and how she and her friends realize dreams, eliminate obstacles and overcome fears. Filled withfoundational lessons about such character-defining elements as attitude, determination and gratitude,Pigs Can Fly! is an entertaining read for adults and children alike. The magic and morals of the storiesare magnified by the charming detail of the black-and-white illustrations throughout the book. (ISBN0-8126-2706-7; Cricket Books, Carus Publishing, Chicago, Ill., www.cricketbooks.net)Lucille P. Fultz, C’59, an associate professor of English at Rice University, is the author of Toni Morrison:Playing with Difference (ISBN 0-252-02823-6; University of Illinois Press, Urbana and Chicago,Ill.). In this work, she examines the use of contrasting elements – such as black and white, love andhate, wealth and poverty – as found in the body of literature by Toni Morrison. This “necessary andthought-provoking work” offers a thorough and in-depth analysis of the addressed texts. In addition towriting essays on Toni Morrison, which have appeared in a number of collections, Ms. Fultz is a coeditorof Double Stitch: Black Women Write about Mothers and Daughters.Nzinga’s Tribe, a children’s book written and illustrated by Elizabeth Hendricks, C’92, tells thestory of an imaginative girl of African decent, whose fearlessness is confirmed when she is forced to standup to a lion. The story’s positive message is further enhanced by illustrations consisting of colorful andtextured fabrics and visuals, and photos of African American icons. (ISBN 0-9762145-0-4; 5,6, PickupSticks Publishing, Atlanta, Ga., tcmacr@bellsouth.net)When young women began to enter college in substantial numbers late in the nineteenth century, thehealth and social commentary of the time suggested that campus life would negatively impact theirhealth and physical image. When noted contemporary historian Margaret A. Lowe decided to test thesenotions by investigating the realities of female body image on three college and university campusesbetween 1875 and 1930, she included the views of Spelman College women in her study. She writesabout her findings in the book, Looking Good: College Women and Body Image, 1875–1930 (ISBN0-8018-7209-X; The Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, Md.). Spelman student publications,press accounts and photographs provided valuable information and insight for the book. Ms. Lowe is anassistant professor of history and project director of the Teaching American History Grant at BridgewaterState College.F A L L 2 0 0 417

MessengerF E A T U R ESISTERS CENTER FOR WISDOM:Illuminating the Value of ValuesB Y D ENISE M C F ALLSarah Thompson (left), WISDOMCenter resident and Rev. LisaRhodes, Dean of Sisters Chapeland Director of the SistersCenter for WISDOM.Photo: Julie YarbroughWhile many of the nation’s oldest and mostprestigious colleges and universities, includingSpelman College, were born within the faithcommunity, over time, most of these institutionshave witnessed a growing separation between what is consideredacademic and co-curricular, sacred and secular.Increasingly, at most colleges, co-curricular and communityservice activities are taking a back seat to what happensin the classroom. At Spelman, however, the basicphilosophical tenets upon which the College was founded– that ethics, morality and spirituality are the cornerstonesof character development – remain as relevanttoday as they were at the time of its founding in the late1800s. Reinforced by the pervasive role religion has traditionallyplayed within the African American culture, worshipand religious education were and still are very mucha part of the Spelman College experience – as attested toby the school’s motto: Our Whole School for Christ.In search of new and effective ways to advance thenotion that religion and service must inform and directPhoto: Julie Yarbroughsecular training, in 2002 Spelman established Sisters Centerfor WISDOM (Women in Spiritual Discernment ofMinistry), the latest and, perhaps, the most vibrant expressionto date of the College’s sensitivity to issues of religionand spirituality. Funded through the vision and generosityof Lilly Endowment Programs for Theological Explorationof Vocation, Sisters Center for WISDOM provides a holisticeducational experience that nourishes the spiritual andethical development of a new generation of Black women,addressing the gender-based disparities and inequities thathave historically continued to serve as sources of stratificationin society and in the Black Church. The $2 million,five-year Lilly Endowment grant has enabled the Collegeto fulfill the need to help students make the connectionbetween contextual learning experiences and formalclassroom instruction, and to confront, head on, the relevancyof the historic Black Church in the minds, heartsand daily practices of African American youth.“As Spelman enters the new millennium, it recognizesthat there are an increasing number of young womenwho are intellectually and spiritually challenged by theirfaith traditions who seek to better understand the meaningof faith for their lives and work,” says The ReverendLisa D. Rhodes, M. Div., MSW, dean of the Spelman CollegeChapel and director of Sisters Center for WISDOM. Assuch, the intellectual, spiritual, social, psychological andcultural aspects of life are an integral part of the program’sframework, in keeping with Spelman’s overallmission to provide an education that positively impactsstudents in all their endeavors, during their college yearsand beyond.At Spelman…the basic philosophical tenets uponwhich the College was founded – that ethics,morality and spirituality are the cornerstones ofcharacter development – remain as relevant todayas they were at the time of its founding in the late1800s.18S P E L M A N M E S S E N G E R

According to Reverend Rhodes: “Black women, in particular,have not been able to advance their leadershiprole, develop support networks and engage in mentoringopportunities that would attract generations of women toand sustain them in ministry and other religious vocations.”Reverend Rhodes contends that although feministand womanist movements have contributed to the paradigmshift in the acceptance of female pastoral leadership,present and future emerging women pastors needattention given to their development and training.Through Sisters Center for WISDOM, Spelman seeks toforge new models of egalitarianism and mutual partnershipthat respect the uniqueness of gender in what hashistorically been a male-dominated arena.Assuming a leadership role among institutions ofhigher education, Spelman is now addressing thenational need to attract, retain, nurture, increase andsupport Black women in their pursuit of religious vocations,helping students identify the many ways in whichthey can serve the Black Church, the African Americancommunity and the world in service to God through allforms of vocational endeavor. “It’s important that weunderstand how faith should inform our career choices,our ethical decisions and the nature of our leadership,”says Reverend Rhodes. “I’m hopeful that we can makesignificant contributions to the ethical development ofthe next generation in ways that will help them to beresilient and withstand the pressures of this generation.”WISDOM project manager, The Reverend Melva L.Sampson, M.Div., M.A., concurs with Reverend Rhodesand other faith leaders and academicians who perceivethat contemporary society has led too many of today’s collegestudents to become focused on narrow career developmentand individual interests, motivated by monetarygain without a corresponding commitment to the commongood, the causes of justice, peace and reconciliation.“The Black Church is, indeed, the keeper of the AfricanAmerican narrative, at the very core of our moral discourseand ethical leadership development,” asserts ReverendSampson.“We need to develop a stronger listening ear, to reevaluatewho we are, and redefine the BlackChurch for contemporary society – to explore therelational paradigms that are not supportive ofour history, of who we are.”The Reverend Lisa D. Rhodes, M.Div., MSWDean of the Spelman College Chapel andDirector of Sisters Center for WISDOMBuilding on the work of Dr. Walter Collier, who servedas the Lilly Endowment Planning Grant project manager,the programs of Sisters Center for WISDOM have evolvedinto a series of independent, yet interrelated, activities infive areas of emphasis:Broad-Based Campus Education and Awareness:Lectures, public forums, and a student-organizedWomen in Vocational Exploration and Spirituality(WIVES) campus education effortStudent Recruitment, Mentoring and Pre-ProfessionalDevelopment: National recruitment, studentmentoring and leadership development efforts thatpair Spelman students with African American womenpastors for academic and professional developmentthrough summer internshipsFaculty and Curriculum Development: A seedgrant program to enable faculty to revise existing courses ordevelop new courses and to provide for the hiring of a newfull-time faculty member to bring added diversity to theDepartment of Philosophy and Religion course offeringsResearch, Scholarship and Resource Network:A global conference that convenes faculty and religiousscholars, practitioners and undergraduate and graduatestudents to present commissioned papers, address thepaucity of scholarship relative to Black women and religion,and disseminate transcripts of conference proceedingsCommunity Linkages: A women’s empowerment programdesigned to create support networks among womenPhoto: Julie YarbroughF A L L 2 0 0 419

In January 2004, afour-day celebrationwas held to launch theSisters Center ofWISDOM housed inBessie Strong Hall.pursuing the ordained ministry and other religious vocations,and an annual HBCU Summit designed tostrengthen the link that has historically existed betweenthe Black Church and the historically Black college anduniversity communityThe grant supports Sisters Chapel Scholars in theamount of $5,000 tuition assistance awards, as well assupporting a multi-year faculty position for a theologianwith expertise in womanist and feminist theology, ethicsand cultural theology to help students better understandand intellectually critique the religions of the world. Aspart of their leadership development, student scholarshiprecipients are mentored by African American women pastorsand complete six-week summer internships atdomestic and international faith-based sites. There arealso several mini-grants available to faculty memberswho have an interest in piloting interdisciplinary coursesthat integrate spirituality, religion, ethics, science and service-learningcomponents into the College’s curriculum.In seeking to strengthen collaborative efforts andcooperative opportunities with other schools in theAtlanta University Center (AUC) and local theologicalinstitutions, WISDOM has held a series of meetings withreligious leaders at sister institutions to explore internshipprograms, cross-registration opportunities, ethical leadershipdevelopment training and collaborative researchprojects. In 2002, WISDOM held an HBCU summit, cosponsoredby the Fund for Theological Education, entitledDoes Ja Rule? Hip Hop and Religion, and has hopes ofmounting a second summit in 2005. During spring breakof 2003, Spelman and Morehouse students embarked on aseminary tour, visiting six seminaries throughout NewEngland and New Jersey. WISDOM has also partnered withAtlanta’s historic Ebenezer Baptist Church in sponsoringa women’s empowerment program, and seeks to furtherexplore how faith and spirituality can inform studentactivism.Photo: Julie YarbroughOver the five-year grant period, it is anticipated thatSisters Center for WISDOM will directly impact more than2,500 undergraduate students, faculty and staff on theSpelman campus; at least 2,000 students, faculty and staffwithin the Atlanta University Center and at other metropolitanAtlanta colleges and universities; and more than500 scholars, practitioners and lay persons in faith-basedorganizations throughout the United States, Europe,Africa and Latin America.“As I look about me today in this veiled world ofmine, despite the noisier and more spectacularadvances of my brothers, I instinctively feel andknow that it is the five million women of my racewho really count. Black women (and womenwhose grandmothers were Black) are…the mainpillars of those social settlements which we callchurches.”W.E.B. DuBois (1918)In addition to Reverend Rhodes and Reverend Sampson,other Spelman faculty members continue to makesignificant contributions to the overall mission of the program.In April 2002, Dr. Renita Weems, professor of biblicalstudies at Vanderbilt University, was among thedistinguished scholars and religious leaders at WISDOM’sone-day retreat who spoke to the meaning of vocation asa soul-searching process, reaching a decision about one’strue calling, one’s true self and one’s place in the crossroadsof life. Today, on leave from Vanderbilt, ProfessorWeems serves as Spelman’s 2003–2005 Cosby EndowedChair of Humanities and as a major source of inspirationto the WISDOM program and its students. Likewise, Dr.Rosetta Ross, associate professor and chair of the Departmentof Philosophy and Religion, has demonstrated acommitment to reviving the department’s offerings andrethinking its curricular programming with an eye oncreating a more holistic liberal arts universe.“The Black Church is, indeed, the keeper of theAfrican American narrative, at the very core of ourmoral discourse and ethical leadership development.”The Reverend Melva L. Sampson, M., Div., M.A.Project Manager, Sisters Center for WISDOMBeyond its curricular and co-curricular initiatives,WISDOM also makes a place for students of unwaveringfaith as well as for the faithful who have found traditional,organized religion to be irrelevant and discon-20S P E L M A N M E S S E N G E R

nected from the young Black cultural hermeneutic. Publiclylaunched in January 2004, the newly renovatedBessie Strong Hall has been transformed into the WIS-DOM residential living and learning center wherein asmall and select group of students from different faith traditionshave the opportunity to live for an academic yearin a nurturing, spiritual community in which they canshare their spiritual journeys.Guided by the College’s strategic plan, a primary goalof the program is to also revive, renew and reclaim SistersChapel as the spiritual nexus of the Spelman campus,to create a vibrant and flourishing spiritual center for studentand academic life. “Although Sisters Chapel continuesto be the major gathering place for the College, overthe past few decades its spiritual and religious foundationhad weakened as it struggled to translate its traditionsinto contemporary expressions of faith. We envision creatinga multidimensional, student-centered program ofreligious studies that has a national focus and globalreach,” says Reverend Rhodes.Ranked among the top historic chapels on the campusof a college or university, Sisters Chapel had been thecenter of spiritual life at Spelman since its dedication byJohn D. Rockefeller in 1927. Until 1961, attendance ateight o’clock chapel programs, held five days a week, wasrequired for all students. Mandatory Sunday vesper serviceswere held until 1968; however, by the end of thedecade all forms of mandatory chapel attendance werediscontinued. In 1982 and 1986, compulsory chapelattendance was re-instituted for first-year and sophomorestudents, respectively. Since mandatory chapel attendancewas discontinued, the major focus of religious and spiritualactivities has been Sunday Worship Service, at whichattendance is now voluntary.Reverend Rhodes believes that religious life should bea personal choice. “We have a number of religions representedon campus that are not Christian, so we work hardto remain inclusive through interfaith conversations thataffirm and support religious diversity and reaffirm thesacredness of all faith traditions. However, in the midst ofour struggles, our darkness, we want all of our students torecognize and understand the existence of a greaterpower.”Over time, the students and culture changed, but thetraditional expressions of worship were maintained,resulting in a significant decrease in the number of studentsattending worship services. Added to that, the dearthof ministers of music within Black churches was equallyreflected on the Spelman campus. Given that music is anintegral part of the Black Church tradition, thereappeared to be a direct correlation between the lack of aworship service program that recognized, appreciated andincorporated the gospel music genre of today’s youth andthe significant decline in chapel service attendance.In response to the need to attract students to SistersChapel programs, spiritual enhancement and leadershipdevelopment workshops, seminars, and lectures are nowheld throughout the academic year as well as an annualMoment of Grace Prayer Breakfast and an annualPraise Fest. A Chapel Assistant Program has been established,which includes seven Spelman women who serveduring Sunday worship services, and a newly institutedGraduate Ministry and Context Program which allowsseminary students from Atlanta University Center’s InterdenominationalTheological Center and Emory University’sCandler School of Theology to gain hands-on fieldexperience.Sisters Chapel has also served the Greater Atlantacommunity as a public platform for national and internationaldialogue related to issues within the civil andhuman rights movements for guest speakers such as MaryMcLeod Bethune, Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Dr. William H.(Bill) Cosby, Jr., and Marian Wright Edelman, amongothers. Throughout most of the 20th century, prominentreligious leaders have also graced the podium of SistersChapel, including Dr. Howard Thurman, Bishop DesmondTutu and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. It was, in fact, at SistersChapel where for 48 hours in April of 1968 the body ofthe slain civil rights leader lay in state. The perseveranceand vitality of this historic and sacred space are, therefore,very high priorities to all Spelman constituents. The LillyEndowment grant now empowers Sisters Chapel tostrengthen its religious and spiritual presence and prominencethroughout the College campus, with a far-reachingimpact in the local community, the Black Church, theAfrican American community and the nation.In the final year of the project, Sisters Center for WIS-DOM plans to host a global invitational conference,bringing together religious scholars, practitioners, undergraduatesand graduate students to share new knowledgerelative to the scholarship on Black women and religion.“We need to develop a stronger listening ear, to re-evaluatewho we are and to redefine the Church for contemporarysociety – to explore the relational paradigms that arenot supportive of our history, of who we are,” says ReverendRhodes. •DENISE MCFALL, an Atlanta-based freelance writer withan extensive background in higher education administration,program management and curriculum development,is a frequent contributor of articles and publications thatfocus on notable initiatives in higher education.F A L L 2 0 0 421

SARAH ELIZABETH THOMPSON“What Makes Sarah Run?”BY D ENISE M C F ALL“While I’m aware of the myth of the “Spelmanwoman,” knowing I am not [her] is liberating! Ithink today’s Spelman students are redefining whoand what [she] is in self-actualizing, powerfulways.”Sarah Elizabeth Thompson, C’2006Rounding the curb of Northside Drive toward theentrance of the “new” Paschals Restaurant,Sarah Elizabeth Thompson, C’2006, glidesalong on her trusty bicycle as if she is coastingthrough life on the wings of angels. Removing her safetyhelmet, electric blue locks fall from the crown of her headinto a mass of twists, each with a mind of its own, leadingonlookers to contemplate: “Is this a good hair day, or abad hair day?” On this warm, spring, Sunday afternoon,Sarah wears a gold-colored T-shirt that shouts “ROOTCAUSE” and a purple crocheted skirt, compliments of aCalifornia thrift shop. Native American silver chains encircleher left ankle, a found-on-the-ground watch adorns herwrist, penned reminder notes cover the backs of bothhands, and a well-worn pair of hand-me-down, greensuede running shoes hugs her feet. In all her glory, SarahThompson has arrived. Moving at breakneck speedthrough a daily schedule that is not for the faint-of-heart, itis obvious that she has little time for the meaningless ormundane. Navigating each moment with a sense of clarity,purpose and an infectious sense of humor, somehow Sarahseems to instinctively know exactly where, how and whenshe is going, and precisely what needs to be done once shegets there.In no time at all, one by one, the layers of eclecticeccentrism peel away to reveal the driving force behind thisSpelman student of keen intellect, spirit-filled wisdom andyouthful exuberance. Affectionately dubbed “MarianWright Edelman, Jr.,” virtually everything to which Sarahdevotes her precious time and unbridled energy is in someway dedicated to improving the quality of life. Majoring inwomen’s studies, with a double minor in internationalstudies and economics, she is a perennial dean’s list studentwho routinely takes her education far beyond thatwhich she has learned in the classroom. Putting her ideasinto action, Sarah’s authenticity, commitment to humanity,and passion for justice are the guiding principles thatsustain her life journey.“A lot of people are waiting for Martin Luther Kingor Mahatma Gandhi to come back—but they aregone. We are it. It is up to us. It is up to you.”Marian Wright Edelman, C’60Founder and PresidentChildren’s National Defense FundAs the 20 year-old daughter of an unlikely alliancebetween a North Carolina-born, Baptist, African Americanfather and a white Mennonite mother from Indiana—whomet and married after grad school at the University of Wisconsinbefore trekking off to assignments in Sudan—Sarah’s unique family and religious backgrounds, andwork with international missions, have fashioned herexpansive world view and commitment to activism. Bornon United Nations Day (October 24), her travels have takenher to Belize, Sudan, Egypt, South Africa, Zimbabwe, England,Mexico, Puerto Rico, and Canada. This past summer,she also journeyed to Cuba to work on issues of solidaritywith the Venceremos Brigade before returning home toIndiana to do faith-based community organizing throughher church.In the fall of 2005, Sarah is scheduled to visit theBalkans to study peace and conflict resolution as part ofAmerican University’s Washington Semester Program.Later in the year, she hopes to visit Ethiopia to continue herworldwide mission work. Along the way, she has becomeproficient in Spanish, French, Swahili and Amharic. “The22S P E L M A N M E S S E N G E R

F A L L 2 0 0 4more I travel, the more people I meet all over the world, themore of an advocate I become for humanism,” she says.“Diversity is a gift; we should rejoice in living it every day.”As a Mennonite, Sarah’s faith is grounded in the traditionof a loving God who motivates her to focus on peace, justice,servanthood and humility. As a student of nonviolent conflictresolution, she is an “active pacifist” who renounces the useof all forms of violence. During the fall of her first-year,Sarah co-founded the Atlanta University Center Peace Coalition.Among her other activities are her participation in theYouth Anti-War Network, POSSE (Protecting Our SpelmanSisters Everyday), SASSAFRAS (Sociological and AnthropologicalSisterhood: Scholar Activists for Reshaping Attitudesat Spelman), Toni Cade Bambara Scholar Activist Collective,Spelman Feminist Majority Leadership Alliance, Sisterfire(an organization dedicated to creating autonomouswomen’s spaces), and Sisters Center for WISDOM (Womenin Spiritual Discernment of Ministry).Sarah’s participation in WISDOM includes her beingone of only a handful of students to be selected to live in thenewly renovated Bessie Strong Hall, the program’s livingand learning community. “My faith and my involvementin WISDOM sustain my hope in creating revolution. WIS-DOM fosters a sense of wholeness, balance and progressionthat helps us ascribe meaning to something beyond empiricalreality. It helps us to believe in ourselves, each otherand beyond. It’s an anchor that provides us with that deepsense of self-peace that comes with living your life intentionally,”she says.Politically speaking, Sarah sees herself as an “extremeliberal” who favors community organizing and mountinggrassroots campaigns to protest U.S. policies that fly in theface of peace, or negate a reasonable quality of life for itsmost needy citizens. “It makes my heart hurt to know thatthere’s a connection between money and power,” shelaments, when speaking to the ills of oppressive capitalism.“But I need to see if the place for me is “inside” the governmentsystem, or if I’m better working “outside” the parametersof government in grassroots organizations.”Although she views voting as an essential and importantcivic duty, she remains skeptical about the nation’smove toward electronic voting: “A votingsystem that leaves no papertrail is a voting systemfraught with possibilities todeceive the public,” shewarns. “But I refuse to live infear of the government,” shedeclares, before completingher thought with a quotefrom the criticallyacclaimed poet-teacheractivistAudre Lorde: “The master’s tools will never destroythe master’s house.”Moving on to discuss world and current events, Sarah isdefinitive in her statements about war, proclaiming: “Waris horrible and gruesome. It’s not a viable way to solveproblems. We have to move away from a brand of imperialismthat makes it scary for the whole human race. Themoney that is being spent on the Iraqi war leaves lessmoney for education, jobs, and health care, and it’s hurtingBlack people the most. There is a different vision for theworld that makes a space for people like me.”Why Spelman? Sarah recounts in vivid detail all of thefactors that went into making her college decision: “I’vebeen an athlete all of my life—swimming, gymnastics,soccer, T-ball, track, basketball, you name it. In fact, that’show I developed my competitive spirit, by learning to challengemyself. I thrive on the raw emotion of sports competition.I was offered quite a few scholarships to play collegesports but, after suffering a career-ending injury, I shiftedmy focus to other interests and aspects of my life.”Named scholar-athlete of the year in 2003 and MVP ofSpelman’s soccer team in 2004, Sarah still manages to kickaround a ball or two just for the thrill of the game. Herholistic mind-body-spirit regimen includes serving as anearly morning lifeguard at the Spelman pool, where sheteaches swimming and aqua aerobic classes, and being anavid runner. In her travels around the world, she neverleaves home without her soccer ball. “Soccer is the world’sfavorite sport,” says Sarah. “People come together morequickly around a soccer ball than anything else. I’vebeen in pick-up games where people spoke morethan four different languages!”“I chose Spelman primarily because of thestrength of its women’s studies and dance programs.Coming out of a middle-class, Mennoniteprivate school environment in Goshen, Indiana,I also wanted a college experience that wasdifferent from what I was accustomed to.Atlanta was the ideal place to immersemyself in a city filled with African Americansof all educational, professional andPhoto: Julie Yarbrough23

“My faith and myinvolvement inWISDOM sustain myhope in creatingrevolution. WISDOMfosters a sense ofwholeness, balanceand progression thathelps us ascribemeaning tosomething beyondempirical reality.”S ARAH E LIZABETH T HOMPSON,C’2006socioeconomic levels, and Spelman offered a women-centeredcampus environment of promising young Blackwomen just like me,” she says.Sarah readily admits she has gained far more from herexperience at Spelman, and in Atlanta, than she everdreamed was possible. During her brief college career, shehas been the recipient of a Discover Card Scholarship, asecond-place winner in the Black History Makers of TomorrowEssay Contest, a multi-year Spelman AcademicScholar, a Davis-Putter grantee, and a member of theAlpha Lambda Delta Freshman Honor Society.“Where else, but Spelman, could I have gone and beenexposed to mentors like President Tatum, Dr. Beverly Guy-Sheftall, Dr. Renita Weems and so many other Blackwomen scholars and role models of their caliber?” shehypothesizes. “Spelman has taught me to critique and viewthings from a different perspective; it’s given me the tools toopen my eyes and my mind, to analyze, to not take thingsat face value,” she notes, before shifting her focus toAtlanta. “Atlanta’s history in the Civil Rights Movementcreated an atmosphere here of advocacy and activism. TheAU Center has a core group of students who are activelyinvolved in combating racism, genderism and homophobiaand fighting for equitable standards of living, such asaffordable housing and adequate child and health care.”Since her arrival at Spelman, Sarah has participatedinternships with a variety of nonprofit organizations,including The King Center, Atlanta Activist Collective andNot In Our Name (NION). “I’m humbled and inspired bypeople like Marian Wright Edelman, SNCC activist RubyDoris Smith Robinson, Toni Cade Bambara, Ché Guevara,Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, Jr.,” she adds.“The dream is real, my friends. The failure to realizeit is the only reality.”Toni Cade Bambara (1939 –1995)The Salt Eaters, 1980The Spelman sisterhood is one in which Sarah says sheis deeply invested. “Spelman students need to recognizethat in order to capitalize on this sisterhood, it’s a matter ofgive-and-take. I would encourage them to broaden theirdefinition of sisterhood, to embrace the spirit of camaraderiewe have at Spelman that can sustain you duringthe good times and the bad. We should walk in gratitudefor what we have here.”A staunch environmentalist, she goes on to address theissue of community in a broader sense: “We [Spelman students]need to think about ways to beautify the walk to theMARTA station in hopes that more people will be encouragedto take public transportation. We also need to think moreseriously about an institution-wide recycling plan. And, weneed to work together to take back our streets so we can havea safe and secure environment that will allow us to teardown the gates that stand between Spelman and the largercommunity. The legacy I would like to leave Spelman is forstudents to know that activism is worth it—that what you domakes a difference—that you don’t have to conform.”Sarah’s assessment of the historical Spelman-Morehouserelationship is both candid and pointed: “The Spelman-Morehouserelationship has always been sociallyviable. I have a very active social life and count a numberof “Morehouse men” among my closest friends and fellowactivists. But, the relationship between Spelman and Morehousecan also be viewed as a damaging and problematic“marriage” in which Spelman women are objectified.There seems to be a huge disconnect wherein [we] aredevalued because of genderism. I want to transcend people’sexpectations of what it means to be female,” she adds.Taking multi-tasking to a whole new level, Sarah intermittentlymunches on her veggies, checks her watch, answersher cell phone, reads the reminder notes on her hands, andlends a level of focus to the conversation that belies herfavorite motto: “Keep it simple!” With the afternoon nearingto an end, one final question is posed, the question that hasbeen looming around the fringes of this conversation since itbegan: “So, tell me Sarah, why is your hair blue?” With a“thought-you’d-never-ask” grin spread across her cherublikeface, she serves up her rationale on a silver platter: “Oneof the things I’ve learned from Black women is that your hairis an important means of self-expression. I see myself as boldand joyful. I’ve already had my hair bright red, pink, bleachblondeorange, rainbow-colored (although that was a bigmistake), and now it’s electric blue. Why blue? Why not?You’re only an undergrad once!” •EDITOR’S NOTE: Spotted in early May with purple hair,before leaving for summer “vacation,” Sarah Thompsonshared her plan to abandon her brilliantly coloredlocks in favor of dyed black hair. She now sports aclosely cropped, natural afro as she prepares to donbusiness suits and high heels for her upcoming stint inthe nation’s capital. Sarah’s attempt to camouflage herliberal activist persona is prompted by her desire toexpand the breadth of her Washington Semester experienceby feigning some level of assimilation into the prevailingculture that exists within the hallowed halls ofgovernment.DENISE McFALL is an Atlanta-based freelance writer andfrequent contributor of articles and publications for collegesand universities.24S P E L M A N M E S S E N G E R

WISE WORDS FROM MISS SIMONB Y P A TRICIA G RAHAM J OHNSONThis is what Marguerite Simon says about wisdom: “Wisdomis a compilation of experiences that make your life. Youacquire wisdom as you grow. You grow from each experience.It is the knowledge of life that helps to the expansion ofthe life. As you acquire knowledge, you put it to good use, and then itbecomes wisdom. You are exposed to life, people, attitudes and environment.Those experiences equip you for better thinking and for betteruse of your knowledge. That is wisdom. It is not a designation likethe Bessie Strong Wisdom Center. I don’t call myself wise. … Whateveris a part of your environment leads to your knowledge and ultimatelybecomes wisdom. You live, understand and live.”Bit of Wisdom: The W.I.S.D.O.M. CenterIn order to be correct, you should use the acronymW.I.S.D.O.M., not Wisdom, when referring to the Center. Abuilding cannot have wisdom or be wise. Only people can bewise.Marguerite Simon is quick-minded, a warm and loving person anda great storyteller. She knows exactly what she wants to say and whatshe wants us to know.Born in Memphis, Tennessee on October 30, 1912, she was theyoungest of four and the only girl. Her parents, Edward Lee Simon andLaura Dickerson Simon, were both college graduates, her father fromAtlanta University and her mother from Lemoyne-Owens in Memphis.In 1923, the family moved to Atlanta, and Edward Simon started teachingwoodworking and shop at Washington High School. Miss Simonstill uses a rocking chair that he made. She laments, “We have lostskills such as bricklaying. Negroes were excellent in the trades. Theyare not being taught now.”project of the roof of Reynolds Cottage. She wanted her family home tocontinue to be “old and closer to the memory” as a reflection of her heritageand love of “preservation and community.” Recently, the Barnesfamily, the first family that Miss Simon had met on Martin Avenue, visitedher. The family shared memories of the neighborhood. When onerecalls a memory, “you can even smell the bread.”Bit of Wisdom: NeighborhoodsNeighborhoods are people. You may not be bosom friends witheach other but families have a common experience. It is thecomradeship, the interests, the neighborhood-ness – its meaningto someone. It’s a memory. It is the environment thatyou’re in. These experiences make up your life. Just live them.Miss Simon (her preferred designation – no “Ms.” for her) attendedschool in Memphis up to the fifth grade. In Atlanta she attended SouthAtlanta Public School, Clark University, Oglethorpe, Knowles High, Spelmanand Atlanta University Lab School before enrolling in Spelman forcollege study.After graduating from Spelman in 1935, she found herself at a crossroads.At that time, the segregated South offered a college-educatedwoman few job choices. One could “work in someone’s home, at a factorylike Scripto, in a department store – as an elevator operator, not aclerk – or teach.” Miss Simon’s father felt that if his daughter workedoutside of the home, she should select a work environment where shewould not be exposed to the negative aspects of segregation. “He wantedme to be safe, respected and in a wholesome environment.” During the1936–1937 school year, Miss Simon attended Atlanta University andworked as a graduate assistant in biology at Spelman. Since she hadBit of Wisdom: Spelman ArtifactsWe should make sure that the artifacts are documented. Weshould be true to the period. Like by not removing the newspaperthat may have been placed in the drawer of furniture. Ittells the date. I saw myself the Victrola that Packard and Gileshad. Spelman also has a basin and pitcher in Reynolds Cottage.I saw the black leather bag that Packard and Giles usedwhen they traveled to Europe. We need to preserve these thingssomewhere.The rocking chair is not the only memento in that house on MartinAvenue where Marguerite Simon has lived since her family’s move toAtlanta in 1923. Miss Simon’s home is an archive of sorts. She has photos,books, artifacts, Spelman awards and cards lovingly displayedthroughout her home. She even has a discarded slate from a renovationF A L L 2 0 0 4Miss Marguerite Simon, 200425Photo: Bud Smith

Miss Marguerite Simon, 1951Miss Simonsummarized herexperience at Spelmanas an ongoingrelationshipwith the students. “Iworked. I wasdependable. People sawme at Read Hall.I rarely went to lunch.The students knew meand knew that I wouldbe there.”26Photo: Spelman Archivesnever worked outside of Spelman College, she did not have ajob reference, but Mrs. Jane Hope Lyons, the dean at Spelman,recommended her for a teaching position. ThoughMiss Simon was a biology major and certified with a Georgiahigh school teaching certificate, she was not hired by theAtlanta school system. “There were several issues such asbeing blocked to employment as a teacher if you were not aproduct of the Atlanta public school system. Or politics – thestatus of the person who recommended you for the position– could affect hiring decisions.” She finally landed a positionteaching second grade in Milledgeville, Georgia. Sheproved her worth in elementary education and was movedto third grade the next year.Bit of Wisdom: EducationI expanded my life. I read a lot. I take in informationbut I don’t assume anything. I take out of myexperiences the information that I can use. Ilearned from my students.Later, Marguerite Simon taught science in Evergreen,Alabama. The challenge in that rural school was the lackof running water and the inadequate science equipment.To teach a basic lesson on distillation there was not easy,but she was undaunted. She elicited the help of the agricultureteacher to build a wooden barrel and install a faucet soshe could improvise the running water for the lessons ondistillation. “What Negro teachers did with nothing andwhat they had to labor under, all to teach something!”Miss Simon, an avid reader, had read a lot about sugarcane but it was her students who invited her to visit the canefields where they worked to see how they made syrup fromsugar cane. “I learned from my students. [They] helped meto see things brought to life that reading had [only] givenme information about. It is easy to gain information.What’s important is the acceptance and love between studentsand teacher that goes along with it. Your attitudehelps you obtain experiences. It makes you a better person.It’s a give and take, a two-way learning experience.”By 1942, World War II was in full swing. Miss Simonwas assigned as a supply teacher at the Crogman School inthe Pittsburgh area of Atlanta. Teachers supported the wareffort by issuing or passing out stamps [coupons] to familiesso they could get their allotment of kerosene and foodrations. “Miss Edna Callahan was the physical educationteacher [at Spelman] for the college students. Miss Dupreewas the physical education teacher for the high school.Both teachers were products of the Sargent School [ofPhysical Education in Cambridge, Massachusetts], whichwas known for its excellent training in physical education.They were responsible for the caliber of the physical educationprogram and the apparatus that was purchased.” MissCallahan, who had taught Marguerite Simon at Spelman,recognized her potential and knew of her experience organizingfield days in elementary school, her background ofteaching biology and her interest in children. When MissCallahan decided to join the WACS in 1943, leaving avacancy in the middle of the semester, she recommendedMarguerite Simon to fill her place. A phone call by MissFlorence Read, Spelman’s president, allowed Miss Simon tobe released in the middle of the semester, and she beganworking at Spelman on March 24, 1943.Bit of Wisdom: Historically Black Collegesand UniversitiesThe persons that started Negro colleges had farreachingknowledge. They spearheaded the development,but it was the character, quality and insightthat made Spelman’s mission. The purpose had tobe substantial enough for it to live this long.It was the State Department’s policy that students takephysical education from kindergarten through highschool. In keeping with Spelman’s philosophy from itsinception that students should be well-rounded intellectually,spiritually and physically, Spelman required physicaleducation in addition to the other academic courses. In the1940s, many colleges did not require physical education,but Spelman students were required to take the courses forfour years in order to instill a lifelong appreciation of exercise.“We taught classes every day and half of Saturday inorder to make sure that all the students could get exercise.”But Miss Simon did not have a background in physicaleducation. Appreciative of the opportunity and Spelman’sconfidence in her, she took classes at the University of Coloradoin order to be better prepared. There was no housingfor graduate students, so she boarded with a family that hadbeen referred to her by a Spelman faculty member. Thoughshe was a long way from home in an unfamiliar city, MissSimon took comfort from her belief that all people need todo is “just live the experiences that make up your life.”The war continued through 1945, and there was limitedproduction of anything that was not essential to thewar effort, including uniforms for physical education students.Nonetheless, the Physical Education Departmentwas determined to continue its use of uniforms. MissSimon, again undaunted, pulled together alumnae andstudents in home economics to sew the uniforms. “LurlineBaker sewed many of the bloomers. We helped ourselves.”They bought all of the t-shirts that they could get theirhands on. Students wore white socks with the cuff accordingto the traditional class color. “We [found] yellow,green, blue but we could not get red. The class that had redas a class color used all white.”Physical education courses were held in the groundfloor of Giles Hall. “There were showers and two big roomsS P E L M A N M E S S E N G E R

where I taught drills, tumbling, simple exercises, volleyballand corner ball which helped students learn skills leadingto basketball. Outside, students played soccer and softball,and they could play tennis at their own leisure. Studentslearned how to use apparatuses like the horse and the box.Physical Plant helped me to make jump ropes out of windowcords. Students would use ropes to gain arm strengthand body control.” A long-term fundraising effort that hadstarted in 1919 was realized in 1951 when a gymnasiumwas built. The Florence Matilda Read Health and RecreationBuilding was significant not only because a dreamhad been realized but also because of the opportunities thatnow became available for the women at Spelman, who hadaccess to recreational facilities that were denied to theAfrican American community in general.Bit of Wisdom: Naming the Gymnasium forMiss SimonI am humbled. I’m not sure that it was the rightthing to do. I just want it to be understood whatpart of the building is named after me. Read Hall isnot being re-named for me. I appreciate the peoplewho did this honor.In 1957, Miss Nellie Randall, the chair of the PhysicalEducation Department, organized sports teams. Spelmanstudents competed against the other Atlanta UniversityCenter Colleges and Georgia Tech, Agnes Scott and thegirls’ teams of colleges that played Morehouse.” MissSimon pointed out that Read Hall was not built for competitionor big games. “It was built so that each girl couldhave access to physical education. The sports were to becompetition between classes, a congenial competition. Thegoal was to enhance the girl, help girls be with each otherand like each other – not fighting the other sisters. Thethought was that if they played together then they couldlearn together.”Miss Simon summarized her experience at Spelman asan ongoing relationship with the students. “I worked. I wasdependable. People saw me at Read Hall. I rarely went tolunch. The students knew me and knew that I would bethere.” Even now, she continues to support the studentswho did not know her as a faculty member. She recentlyattended the Physical Education Awards Banquet atPaschal’s. Miss Simon was pleased that the students hadexcelled in team sports such as track and golf. She wasimpressed that there was a separate teacher for each sport,observing, “most of them are men.”home while I cared for my mother. I don’t just goback to my experience at Spelman. I am loyalbecause of the beginning of Spelman. I believed init from the beginning, back to the beginning ofSpelman.Although Miss Simon retired from Spelman in 1979,she continues to be involved in the life of Spelman. You canfind her at most of the programs at Spelman as well asAlumnae Association events – or at just about any time inbetween. She has become the conscience, the unofficialhistorian and the teacher of “common sense” to whoeverlistens. In retirement, Miss Simon is active with the FirstCongregational Church and continues to teach Sundayschool. She works as a volunteer with the CommunityFriendship organization that helps those who have mentalproblems to get back into the job market. She volunteers atthe Library Gift Shop and at the Compeer organizationwhere she is a friend to mentally ill people. Why does shevolunteer? Because “it is people and there is a need. I mightengage someone, embrace them in some way. Part of thedesire is my interest in them.”Not only is Miss Simon committed to her work at Spelmanand volunteer organizations, she also has her ownpersonal extracurricular interests. “I am interested inpreservation, especially parks. I read about what they planto do about land in the city. I have a lot of magazine subscriptions,especially in science.Bit of Wisdom: LongevityI am fortunate to be able to walk to the door.Miss Simon never married. As the only girl in the family,she cared for her mother until her death in 1953. “Itoccupied my life.” Miss Simon realizes that we havechoices in life and “this was my desire, not a plight.” After92 years of living her life, Miss Simon continues to growfrom her experiences. “The driving force in my life is theregard for the people that came before me. They set thestandard of quality and I tried to perform the very best thatI could. I tried to maintain that standard. … All that hashappened made me know that I am blessed to have theopportunity to do what I did.One can see how her layers of wisdom were unraveled,illuminated through close inspection and then finallyplaced in Miss Simon’s “lesson-learned experience box” ofher life. According to Miss Simon’s philosophy, we can allbecome wise. Just keep living. •Miss MargueriteSimon at thegroundbreaking ofRead Hall in 1950.Photo: Spelman ArchivesBit of Wisdom: Loyalty to SpelmanI was loyal because Spelman gave me an opportunity.I was not trained for physical education. I wasa biology major; Spelman allowed me to stay atPATRICIA GRAHAM JOHNSON, C’73, is a frequentcontributing writer for the Spelman Messenger. Inaddition, she works on special assignments for theSpelman College archives.F A L L 2 0 0 427

HOLLYWOOD WISESpelman’s Own Turn the Spotlight on Art, Fame, Commerceand Staying Sane While Thriving in TinseltownB Y T A R ESSA S TOVALLLights. Camera. Action. Spelman women are making big strides and leaving indelible marks onthe Hollywood entertainment industry, notorious for its obsession with eternal youth, shallowrace/gender stereotypes and narrowly defined anorexic Euro-beauty. Against the odds, they arewalking the tightrope to balance their personal dreams with the need to pay bills, juggling thedemands and rewards of work and family and still managing to stand for quality in a world thatdemands constant compromise.A half dozen of Spelman’s brightest entertainment stars bared their souls about their dreams,struggles, triumphs, heartbreaks and lessons learned. They are wonderfully versatile, makingtheir mark as actors, writers, directors, producers, journalists, talk show hosts and child stars.Undaunted by limited options for African American actors, particularly women, they are creatingtheir own opportunities. Driven by vision, faith, passion, they share an unwavering belief thatthey are destined to reach their goals and make a positive difference. And they fight hard tomaintain courage and dignity in a land of illusion, bringing true Spelman substance and styleto the Hollywood hype machine.Kathleen McGhee-Anderson, C’72, LaTanya Richardson, C’72, Iris Little-Thomas, C’79,Rolonda Watts, C’80, Shaun Robinson, C’84, and Keshia Knight Pulliam, C’01 came to SpelmanCollege from many places in varied times. While their paths are as diverse as their talents, allagree that their Spelman education and experience provided an incomparable foundation forsuccess. It was this foundation, they say, that has made it possible for them to fulfill their purpose,maintain their sanity, hone their craft, polish their gifts and acquire a great deal of potentwisdom along the way.28S P E L M A N M E S S E N G E R

Kathleen McGhee-Anderson, C’72Producer/Writer/DirectorF A L L 2 0 0 4“I’m a storyteller by nature,” says Kathleen McGhee-Anderson,C’72, whose career has taken her from an Englishmajor/math minor at Spelman to serving as executive producer/writerin the fifth and final season of Soul Food, television’slongest-running African American drama.After graduating cum laude from Spelman (where sheearned her stripes onstage in the Spelman-MorehousePlayers), she received an MFA in film directing fromColumbia University’s School of Fine Arts, then worked as afilm editor for ABC in Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles,cutting news and documentaries. She also taught film atHoward University.The Detroit native wanted to work in the Industry, butwasn’t sure how to break in. After marrying actor/singer CarlAnderson (best known for his long-running definitive portrayalof Judas in the musical stage sensation “Jesus Christ,Superstar”), McGhee-Anderson moved to Los Angeles. “I wasstill trying to figure out how to break into film,” she says.“The film and television industries didn’t overlap then asthey do now.”In 1979, “the business was opening up to minority writers”and she was accepted into the Warner Brothers MinorityWriters Workshop in 1979, where she learned to write forboth television and film. Wanting to help create opportunitiesfor her talented husband, she created a script for LittleHouse on the Prairie that included a part for him. “Someonegave the script to Michael Landon [star and producerof the series], who gave me my first break. That made iteasier to get other work.”Soon, she was writing for episodes of Benson, Webster,Charles in Charge, 227, Gimme a Break, and The CosbyShow. She and Anderson divorced and with a son in highschool, McGhee-Anderson opted for steadier television staffjobs, writing her own plays, feature films and long-formdramas on the side. “So many people in the Industry haveto do something else while working toward their goal. Thecircuitous route sometimes leads to where we need to be.”Her first television staff job was with the series Amen.She wrote a half-hour PBS show called “The RighteousApples” and worked as supervising producer on Moe’sWorld, Matt Waters, South Central, 413 Hope Street andTouched by an Angel, as well as consulting producer forAny Day Now and Soul Food.Ever focused on telling stories, she has had severalscreenplays and theatrical plays produced, garneringawards and acclaim along the way. Her career, she says, hasbeen interesting, fun and challenging – but not withoutfrustration. “The door was and is still opened wider for usas African Americans to do comedy than drama. My commitmentis to try to see another quality Black drama on theair with our characters and our stories.”Rooted in that commitment, McGhee-Anderson reflectsupon the lessons she has learned working behind thescenes. “You write to become a writer, and you rewrite tobecome a better writer. If you want to win, you have to keepdoing it. I remember once feeling very discouraged andsaying to my ex-husband, Carl, that I thought I’d haveachieved this or that by now. And he said, ‘you’re not deadyet.’ There’s no deadline that says you have to achieve anythingby a certain date. If you’re passionate about your art,someone will appreciate it.”She is candid about America’s obsession with fame.“What I’ve learned from being in the land of the famous isthat those people who are truly at peace are past the fame.Fame is not the reward. It’s the by-product that often keepsyou from doing what you want to do. With creativity, theprocess is the reward. You’d better love the doing of whatyou’re doing, because it’s not the end result that brings youthe day-to-day satisfaction you need to make you happy. Theend point feels good, but it’s not the hit show, the Tony, theOscar, the commercial success. If you aren’t in love with theprocess, a hit show or award won’t make your life better.”In an industry built on collaboration, “you can onlysucceed by connecting,” she says. “You have to help others“You have to helpothers to achievetheir goals and,at the same time,you’re gainingsomething fromlearning andpassing on whatyou know.K ATHLEENPhoto: Wilford HarewoodM C G HEE-A NDERSON, C’7229

to achieve their goals and, at the same time, you’re gainingsomething from learning and passing on what you know.This opens you up to learning new things.” McGhee-Anderson says she keeps in touch with her Spelman sistersin the business.She tells the story of how she had dreamt for years of asafe, pastoral place, not knowing what that place was.When she brought her son, Khalil, to his first year at Morehouse,she went to see Bessie Strong “and I looked outupon the green and it hit me that this was the scene I haddreamed of for so long without realizing what it was. It hitme that I had spent years in a safe haven and heaven hereat Spelman College.”Her Spelman experience fortified her for the battles ofTinseltown. “Spelman validated who I was as an AfricanAmerican woman in a world where there were no sistersdoing what I do now. What Spelman told me, told us, isthat we could do anything we wanted to do, that we were inthe world to achieve. Our instructors encouraged andaffirmed us, and that really sustained me.“We are all important to the Spelman community –you are so seen and heard – and that reinforcement gaveme a launching pad that that took me through many yearsuntil I was successful. I can’t imagine having gone to abetter place.”LaTanya Richardson, C’74Actor/Producer/DirectorSpelman drama majors were required to be well-rounded.“We had to learn a little of everything – how to build a set,how to light a stage, costumes, etc. I got a firm foundationfrom studying with great teachers – Dr. Burroughs, LuisMaza, Dr. Carlton and Barbara Mollette, Joan Lewis, AndreaFrye – the list is pretty long. We learned so much.”The spirited powerhouse who today is often identifiedfirst as “Samuel L. Jackson’s wife” was, in reality, the firststar thespian in the family. “Anyone who knows Sam andLaTanya knows that for years it was she in the limelight,”says fellow Spelmanite actor and longtime friend, Iris Little-Thomas.Richardson’s ascension into that limelightcame in the form of the most powerful role in the work thatdefined African American theater in the late 1970s, TheLady in Red in Ntozake Shange’s landmark choreopoem,For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide Whenthe Rainbow is Enuf, which was a Broadway sensation.Launching the New York Shakespeare Festival’sBroadway national tour of For Colored Girls…, Richardsontraveled the country as the dramatic backbone of theproduction. Despite competition from the hugely successfulmusical, A Chorus Line, For Colored Girls… won anaward for the most critically acclaimed, highest-grossingshow on tour that year. “For Colored Girls… changed mylife; I count it as a great artistic accomplishment,” she says.Balancing acclaim with responsibility, the cast of For ColoredGirls… visited police departments, community orga-LaTanya Richardson met her professional destiny and thelove of her life at Spelman College. The Atlanta native firstcame to campus at age 14 with her teacher, the great actress,Georgia Allen, as part of Spelman’s Summer Theater program.She stayed through undergraduate school, and now isa Spelman Trustee, never straying far from the stage.It was in the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Fine Arts buildingthat Richardson first met her lifelong love, Samuel L. Jackson(yes, the famed actor – more on that in a minute), theMorehouse man to whom she has been married for 24years and the father of their daughter, Zoë.Growing up, Richardson wanted to be a doctor,“because I liked fixing things.” But once I started acting inhigh school (and once I won an award), that was it, I washooked.” She went to Spelman on an academic scholarshipand continued working under the late Dr. BaldwinBurroughs. “It was,” she said, “a very privileged time.” TheNegro Ensemble Company (NEC) was in residence at Spelman,and I was able to observe many gifted actors and be apart of the very exciting post-Civil Rights/Black Power timein Atlanta.”LaTanya Richardson on the red carpet with husbandSamuel L. Jackson.Photo courtesy of LaTanya Richardson30S P E L M A N M E S S E N G E R

nizations, social clubs and prisons in each community theyvisited during the national tour. Richardson says shemisses that kind of commitment.After Richardson and Jackson had lived together for adecade, the couple married in 1980, as he was building hisacting career. “I was the actress,” she says. “I thought itwould be me, you know? He’d followed me to New York. Iwas so full of myself.”During the late 1980s, she made guest appearances ontelevision shows shot in New York. She made her feature filmdebut in Hangin’ with the Homeboys in 1991, and acted inThe Super and Fried Green Tomatoes that same year.“Being married to an actor,” she says, is “cool becauseyou can bring the work home and work on it.” The couplemoved to Los Angeles in 1992 for her role in Frannie’sTurn, a short-lived series on CBS. “I came out here a workingactress,” she says, but they intended to return to NewYork. Once her series was cancelled, Jackson, who had wonthe Palm D’Or at Cannes for Jungle Fever started workinga lot. His agents wouldn’t let him leave, so they stayed.Meanwhile, Richardson appeared in the films Juice andMalcolm X in 1992. With his career on the fast track, Jacksontold Richardson that she didn’t have to work, she couldfocus on rearing their daughter. “I said, ‘It’s not about themoney. What am I doing about my life, my craft and theart I still want to make?’” she recalls.After searching her soul, Richardson “decided to behappy and content as a wife and mother.” In 1992, shebecame “super-mom” to Zoë, who was then 10, put hercareer on hold and told her husband, “Go ahead. Fly. Dowhatever it is that you can do.”And in the eyes of the Industry, she became a co-star toher leading man. “It’s a very humbling experience, beingthe wife of a movie star,” she admits. “Most people in Californiaknow me as Mrs. Jackson. To this day, there are stillpeople who ask what I do, or say, ‘I didn’t know you acted.’”While focusing on her daughter, home and philanthropy,Richardson appeared in such films as Sleepless inSeattle, Lorenzo’s Oil, When a Man Loves a Woman, LosingIsaiah, U.S. Marshalls and, more recently, The FightingTemptations and the HBO film, Introducing DorothyDandridge. The New York Times said she was “brilliant”in HBO’s Unchained Memories: Readings from theSlaves’ Narratives. She was in demand as a guest star onseveral TV series including NYPD Blue, Homicide,Chicago Hope, Law and Order, Sesame Street, AllyMcBeal and Judging Amy, and she co-starred with AlanArkin for two seasons in Sidney Lumet’s critically acclaimedseries, 100 Centre Street.“California and the whole movie industry are very differentfrom the New York theater world,” she muses. Thephysical constrictions of Hollywood have been tough. AnF A L L 2 0 0 4ongoing issue, she says, is “what you look like, and howskinny and funny you are. Everybody thinks, well look atWhoopi and Mo’Nique; they’ve made it and they’re notskinny. But they’re comedians. When I was in New Yorkdoing theater, we felt it was more about the work and whowas best suited to do the work. Here it’s about a look. It doessomething to the heart and the mind.”With Zoë grown (and recently graduated from VassarCollege), Richardson can return to putting her own passionfront and center. “I have to have my own thingbecause I have to be at peace with the work I’m doing.” Shewill continue acting while creating projects through herfilm company, Bushwazee Productions, including a featurefilm with a hip-hop theme and an hour-long drama forUPN. “I am learning from these children, the hip-hop generation,and how they just got up and did it.” She made herdirectorial debut with the Lifetime film, Hairstory.Richardson is very involved in church, Bible study andcivic organizations. She is preparing to direct a benefit forArtists for a New South Africa in the fall. It is her faith, shesays, that has kept her both grounded and soaring throughthe challenges of career, parenting and marriage to a highprofilecelebrity. It even kept her sane during Jackson’s wellpublicizedbout with drug addiction. “You have to be veryloving, forgiving and kind. When it’s tough, I say ‘God,HELP!’ I pray for God’s vision and will. I can’t do it alone.Marriage has to be a spiritual journey and it’s one I have tomake every day. I have to do it from the teachings of Christ.Otherwise, this is not an easy thing, living with a man.There is something God has allowed me to see and feel inmy husband’s heart that has kept me in it. It has spokenand it did not lie.”Her husband, she says, is “very kind. He tells me to dowhatever I want to do. He is my ‘love-love, my everythinglove.’” They are friends as well as soul mates, and co-starsin life. One career highlight, she says, was when she andJackson played opposing attorneys in the made-for-TVmovie, Losing Isaiah, with Halle Berry and Jessica Lange.Above all, Hollywood has taught her “that fame is elusive,and it doesn’t always have anything to do with a person’stalent. So ‘to thine own self be true.’” What upsets hermost is that “celebrity is now a vocation. I’m not hatingthose who are seeking that or who enjoy their celebrity. It’sjust that fame used to be something that came along withhaving done something well.” Now, she laments that fame,rather than art or the quality of art, is more important.Along with acting, writing, directing and producing,Richardson serves on several boards, including Spelman’s.“It is a joy,” she says, “to be able to give back. Because ofSpelman College, I am the woman who dares to be all Ican be, because I was given the challenge at Spelman andtaught how to get to it. Everyone who graduates with aAbove all, Hollywoodhas taught her “thatfame is elusive, andit doesn’t always haveanything to do witha person’s talent.So ‘to thine own selfbe true.”L A T ANYA R ICHARDSON, C’7431

“A lot of mybusiness is repeatbusiness. A goodimpression willmake room foryou every time.”I RIS L ITTLE-THOMAS, C’79degree from Spelman has a can-do attitude. I got the basictenets of success from Spelman; I still stand on them. If youdon’t know, let me tell you what that means.“Because I went to Spelman instead of, say, Yale, I got towork center-stage instead of sitting on the sidelines whilesomeone else was the main event. Thank God for Spelman;may it continue to grow.”Iris Little-Thomas, C’79ActorGrowing up in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Iris Little longedto be a sportscaster. “I loved Howard Cosell; he made meenjoy any sport, and I wanted to take people into any sportand let them have a good time.”While visiting her older brother, a Morehouse man,during Homecoming, Little-Thomas was awed by “themost incredible bouquet of African American people I hadever seen” and fell in love with the Atlanta University Center.Soon she was at Spelman, majoring in drama, with abroadcast minor at Clark College.She honed her talents alongside up-and-comers BillNunn and Denise Mickleberry, C’73, now acclaimed actorsin their own right, and Kenny Leon, founder of True ColorsTheater Company and director of the recent Broadway hit, ARaisin in the Sun, which featured Sean P. Diddy Combs andgarnered a landmark Tony Award for star Phylicia Rashad.Little-Thomas recalls the influence of renowned playwright/directorWalter Dallas (founder of Philadelphia’sNew Freedom Theater) who cast her as Nina in an all-Black production of Chekov’s The Seagull. She hit herstride with the starring role in the musical Hello, Dolly! “Itwas such a wonderful journey,” Little-Thomas says, “to tellpeople the story, to learn how to tell the truth of what acharacter was doing or where they were going.”The Spelman experience helped her flourish. “Theundergraduate environment was amazing. You could livein an artistic community and learn the craft.” During Little-Thomas’senior year, Spelman theater legend LaTanyaRichardson conducted a workshop on campus. The twobonded right away. “We kept in touch and she mentoredme. My first union play after college was in the first Blackmainstage production of ‘For Colored Girls…’” atAtlanta’s Alliance Theater. Walter Dallas directed, andRichardson reprised her role as the woman in red. Little-Thomas was, she says, “the baby in the production.” Herdream of broadcasting forgotten, her acting career wastruly “on and crackin’ after that.” She appeared in many offellow Spelmanite Pearl Cleage’s plays.In 1986, she left Atlanta for New York where she livedwith Richardson and her family until she got married.There, she started working with the Negro Ensemble Company(NEC), “sitting in the middle of Black theater history.”She traveled the country building her acting resume,honing her craft and earning a reputation as an actor whowas invited back to work by directors who liked her styleand work ethic. “A lot of my business is repeat business. Agood impression will make room for you every time.”Her film career began in 1980, with credits that includeMaid in America, Malcolm X, Above the Rim (for whichyoung people still stop her on the street), Drop Squad,Girlfight and Shadowboxer. She fondly recalls having “theglorious honor of playing Miss Rosa Parks” in the HBOmovie Boycott. Most recently, she appeared in the HBO filmEveryday People.The scene-stealing actor has enjoyed repeat roles onLaw and Order, often playing a judge, and on Soul Food(as character Damon Carter’s stepmother). One challengePhoto courtesy of Iris Little-ThomasIris Little-Thomas honored as former Miss Maroon & Whiteat Homecoming 2004.Photo: Julie Yarbrough32S P E L M A N M E S S E N G E R

she faces is that, with light skin and long hair, people oftenmistake her for races and nationalities other than AfricanAmerican. “I’m trying to convince agents to let me auditionfor any role. People have preconceived notions of whata Black woman looks and sounds like,” she says, “and Idon’t always fit those notions.” Still, she says, she’s gotten alot of opportunities because her agents gave her a chance.Real opportunity comes, she says, from excellence.“You’ve got to study the craft, hone your craft. You have tobe well-read, be able to speak, to be able to conduct yourselfwith all kinds of people.”Part of that means staying sober in an industry wherebehind-the-scene substance abuse is rampant. “In a workenvironment, you want to be in complete control of yourinstrument at all times. Your reputation will be based uponthe work you have done.”Staying centered, while often difficult, is essential.“This business can take you down. You’d better know whoyou are.” Like her friend LaTanya Richardson, Little-Thomas stays rooted in family and faith. “I have a greatfamily; a good support system. I am rooted in Christ; Hehas opened doors and made a way for me.” Show businessis, for her, “the greatest ministry; it’s such an opportunity totouch a life in a hopeless, dying world.”With a young son and daughter, Little-Thomas actedpart-time, keeping her career “on low simmer” for adecade. Now that her children are older, she is rekindlingher ambition to act full-time. “It’s my joy to touch people’slives through acting,” she says. “I’ve had a healthy familylife and a full life to draw from and that fuels my being ableto tell a story.”Her advice to aspiring actors is clear. “First, you have toknow yourself and be grounded in who you are and whatyour purpose is, why you are there and what you are doing.Second, it’s important for you to be able to do somethingbesides act. Find a mentor; hook up with somebody runningin the same direction. Don’t settle for second best,”she adds, “and don’t step on people.”“You have to have a backup plan, to be able to humbleyourself and make an honest dollar. The more skills youhave, the more options you have to make money. Makesure that you have health insurance – that’s very important.And save your money!”Standing at the crossroads of mid-life and contemplatingthe exciting possibilities ahead, Little-Thomas culls thewisdom and power of her Spelman education. “At Spelman,I felt so empowered. I was able to try my wings in asafe, loving community. I came out with a clue. I came outmarinated in the beauty of possibilities as an African Americanwoman and a strong sense of history. I had beenexposed to so much that I could fit in anywhere with anyonein any circumstance. I came out equipped for life!”F A L L 2 0 0 4Rolonda Watts, C’80Actor/Journalist/Talk Show HostRolonda Watts took the road less traveled to acting success.Always practical, she minored in English “as a backupplan,” while majoring in theater arts at Spelman. “At 17,I’d just gotten to the drama department and I was in Guysand Dolls, Cabaret, and Pippin.”Bitten by the theater bug, she graduated from Spelman,magna cum laude, after three years and went to New Yorkto try her luck on Broadway. After one theatrical cattle callin 1980, “before Bill Cosby and Spike Lee were doing theirthing,” she found she didn’t have the stomach for repeatedrejections and went to the Columbia University GraduateSchool of Journalism, where she earned a master of sciencedegree and served as president of Sigma Delta Chi, thenational journalists’ society.With the requisite looks, brains, charisma and talent,Watts made a name as a reporter and anchorwoman, spendinga decade in local news around the country, most notablyon WNBC-TV and WABC-TV in New York, where she receivedan Emmy nomination for live spot news coverage of a deadlytrain crash. She also negotiated a hostage situation.Next, she co-hosted the talk show, Attitudes (on theLifetime television network), which was nominated for aCable ACE Award. From there, she moved to Inside Editionin 1992. Nine months into that show, she was offered ashow of her own, the talk show, The Rolonda Show, a hitthat was internationally syndicated from 1993–1998. Shewas the supervising producer and one of the owners of thePhoto: Bud SmithPhoto courtesy of Rolanda WattsRolanda Watts hosted PresidentBeverly Daniel Tatum’sfundraising birthday party,“ALIVE @ 50 with Stars on theRise,” during Homecoming2004.33

“I came to Hollywoodin my late 30s. Whenthe talk show was over,it was the first time inmany years that I wasfree of a contract, andI had money in thebank, so I decided totry something new.R OLONDA W ATTS, C’8034show. After four successful years with the talk show, shereturned to her acting, her first love.“I came to Hollywood in my late 30s. When the talkshow was over, it was the first time in many years that I wasfree of a contract, and I had money in the bank, so Idecided to try something new. She found some work – apart on Dawson’s Creek, but overall, “if you weren’t 18 to22 years old, or a skinny, white male, it was hard.”Part of Watts’ success, however, has been her personaltheme, appearing in her speeches, “turning nos into yessesbe the key to your successes.” She says she figured that ifHollywood was going to cater to a young crowd, all of theyoung characters would need parents, teachers, doctors,attorneys, judges, cops and counselors. “And I’ve played allof them,” she says. She has had recurring roles on Days ofOur Lives and The Bold and the Beautiful, playing attorneys.“In real life, I’m not a mama,” she laughs, “but Iplay one on TV,” most recently as the mother of AmericanIdol star Tamyra Gray on Boston Public. Other televisionroles include parts in Sister, Sister, The Jamie Foxx Show,The Steve Harvey Show, The West Wing, The Division, TheDistrict and New York Undercover.She has appeared in several films including Girl 6, TheStupids, Meet Wally Sparks, Best Actress, and ManiacMagee.Reflecting on the road she traveled from her childhoodin Winston-Salem, North Carolina to Spelman, TV successand acting in Hollywood, Watts balances gratitude and perspective.“Here I am, six years after the talk show ended,working in my chosen field. I have a great resume. It’sharder than anything I’ve ever done.”Time, often viewed as the enemy of those in front of thecamera, is something she sees as an advantage. “I’m glad Icame out here in my late 30s, at a time when I’d learned notto take things personally. It’s not about looking at someoneelse getting a part you wanted and asking ‘what’s wrongwith me?’ The rejection is hard, but it’s so subjective, neverpersonal. It just means that the part is not right for you.”She draws strength from those who came before. “Iknew it would be tough. I look at the women and men whocame before us, who didn’t have the opportunities I had.Times were much worse for them, and they still enduredand did it. If Sidney Poitier and Dorothy Dandridge coulddo what they did, I knew I could come out here and do asitcom.”It is essential to stay optimistic and versatile, she says.“After doing two talk shows a day, three days a week, I hadto get used to the downtime” between projects. To fill thattime, she writes and is currently crafting a novel. “So muchgoes on in Hollywood beyond what you see,” she says. Tomaximize her options, Watts takes acting and writingworkshops, and is producing works for herself and others.“You’ve got to stay in the game, on the field. I have a company,Watts Works Productions, and right now I’m co-executiveproducing and developing a daytime talk show withForest Whitaker, the acclaimed actor/director, who hasdirected such feature films as Waiting to Exhale, HopeFloats and the upcoming First Daughter. Watts also hasan important role in actor/comic D.L. Hughley’s breakoutdramatic film, Rikers, about the notorious island prison.With her hands in many pots, Watts is busy, excited and atthe top of her game.Her advice to art majors? “Get a backup plan. Do a doublemajor. I knew I wouldn’t do just one thing; I knew thediscipline it took to be a writer and an actor, so I started offbeing a double major, then I got my master’s in journalism.”She loves young people and would one day like toteach. “One thing I like about talk shows is being able toimprove young people’s minds.”Watts says that family ties, spirituality and faith keepher stable and strong. “I know the Creator has a planspecifically for me, and I can’t look at what others aredoing. I’m here for a specific purpose. I walk by faith, notby sight.”That faith has paid off; along with her great resume.She was honored with an honorary doctorate in humaneletters from Winston-Salem University back home. And shemaintains a strong Spelman connection with other alumnaein the business. “Every year, I emcee the Californiachapter of the NAASC brunch; we raise scholarship money.Wherever I go, I find a Spelman sister.”The woman whose face once graced the cover of theSpelman College admissions catalogue credits the institutionthat nurtured her many talents and aspirations. “Spelmantaught me I could do anything in the world I wantedto do. In fact,” she laughs, “Spelman created this monster. Ibelieved what they told me – that dreams could come true.”Shaun Robinson, C’84Weekend Co-Anchor and Correspondent,Access HollywoodEmmy award-winning reporter Shaun Robinson fixed hereye on the prize at a young age and has not veered from herearly vision. “I wanted to be in news ever since I was little,”she recalls. Growing up in the Motor City, she wanted to bejust like Beverly Payne, one of the first female anchors inDetroit: “I would watch her every night. She was so smart.”While in high school, Shaun joined an acting troupeand currently enjoys guest appearances on television showsand movies, but her main goal has always been to be areporter on a national entertainment show.After hearing “so many wonderful things about Spel-S P E L M A N M E S S E N G E R

man,” it seemed a natural launching pad for her ambitiousdreams. She entered in 1980 as an English major with aminor in mass communications and wasted no time gainingthe experience she needed to complement her academicstudies. “While at Spelman, I hosted two shows on a small,local cable station. The summer before graduation, Iinterned at a small, independent station in Detroit, workingfor free to learn the ropes, learn how to report and write.”She was hired there as a full-time reporter and anchor.Back home in Detroit, Robinson hosted a talk showcalled Strictly Speaking. From there, she snagged a job atthe ABC affiliate in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, as a medicalreporter. She soon began hosting a talk show called Milwaukee’sTalking and also took on duties as the weekendanchor. Then she was off to Austin, Texas, as the fiveo’clock anchor and reporter for the CBS affiliate where sheinterviewed death row inmates at the notorious HuntsvillePrison and won an American Women in Radio and Televisionaward for her series profiling powerful women inAustin. A year and a half later, she was in Miami workingfor the FOX affiliate as morning and noon anchor. There,she anchored coverage of the Clinton impeachment hearingsand of Hurricane George, which devastated the FloridaKeys, and traveled to Oklahoma City to profile survivors ofthe Oklahoma City Bombing.Despite her acclaimed skills and impressive credentials,Robinson met many challenges on the road to a nationalgig. “Agents were eager to represent me for a local news job,but felt that there were so few national entertainmentshows, they would advise me not to pursue such a position.”Her response? “I was not going to let anybody definewhat I could or could not do.” Her perseverance finally paidoff when Access Hollywood saw a tape of her anchoring andreporting from Miami and flew her in for an interview.Access Hollywood, currently in its eighth season, airsnationwide. Robinson wakes each day giving thanks forthe chance to do what she loves most: interview and profilesome of the entertainers she most admires. She has coveredthe red carpet for the Oscars, Golden Globes, Emmys andGrammy Awards and co-hosted the pre-shows for both the2002 Golden Globes and the 2003 Academy Awards. Shejust flew to Monte Carlo as a guest of the Prince of Monacoto cover its annual Television Festival. Shaun has also wonan Emmy for her coverage of the National Black Sports andEntertainment Hall of Fame Awards Show.One of the best parts of her very glamorous but hecticjob is chatting with entertainment icons. “I have a veryfun, cool job,” she says. “I don’t get much sympathy whenworking overtime means interviewing Denzel Washington.”For the record, she says that the two-time Oscar-winningheartthrob “is laid back; he really puts you at ease.”“I was not going tolet anybody definewhat I could orcould not do.”S HAUN R OBINSON, C’84Shaun Robinson appeared in theAugust 2004 issue of Jet Magazinewith a group attending theAmerican Black Film Festival’sFilm Life Movie Awards.Photo: Bud SmithShaun Robinson hosted Blue Note Theatre at Reunion 2004.Photo: Bud SmithF A L L 2 0 0 435

Will Smith, “who I just adore, even anchored the show withme to promote Bad Boys 2.” While she hobnobs with theworld’s most famous faces on a regular basis, “Every oncein a while I get a real surprise,” she admits.During a recent interview with Prince (the musician,not the one in Monaco), she discovered that while he is veryreserved on camera, “Off camera, he’s very funny, verycharming, and sometimes he’ll let you see a little bit of the’hood.”An interview with Bill Cosby backstage at the PlayboyJazz Festival was memorable, she says, because America’sfavorite dad is “laid-back, very cool, very concerned aboutothers. Somebody had brought him some sweet potato pieand he said to me, ‘Hey, Spelman,’ – that’s what he calledme all day – ‘come here and taste this pie.’ And he gave mea slice.”Now that she has reached one pinnacle of success,Robinson still does a little acting. She has played ananchor in such films as Bruce Almighty, Dr. Doolittle IIand America’s Sweetheart, as well as television shows likeCharmed, The Parkers and Half & Half and was actuallyanimated on The Proud Family. While such opportunitiesare an actor’s dream, she says, Robinson has no plans toquit her day job. “Hollywood is a tough place. I have a lotof friends who are actors and I see how much they struggle.Somebody’s in one moment and out the next.”The lack of onscreen color is an ongoing concern. “Isee so many Hollywood movies and I say, ‘where is thediversity?’ Why can’t my actress friends play leads oppositeTom Cruise or Brad Pitt in a movie?”Common sense keeps her grounded amid the glitterand frustration. “Even though I have a fun, glamorous job,I haven’t lost sight of the fact that we’re really all the same,just trying to make our way in the world.”Her advice to those craving careers in show biz? “Theclimate is so different today. Reality shows are the wave atthe moment. Learn everything you can about the business– both in front of and behind the camera. Learn how towrite and produce. You never know what is going to get youin the door. And always remember the struggles that thosebefore you made that allowed you to have the opportunitiesthat you enjoy. And always be willing to help someone else.”To recharge, Robinson visits family back home whereshe can leave the makeup and fancy hairstyles behind. “Iwas blessed to have wonderful role models growing up, andI feel so good when I get back to my peeps.”Spelman further fortified that sustenance, Robinsonsays. “Spelman reinforced the belief that we as AfricanAmericans are a proud race and we belong anywhere wewant to be. As long as we work hard and keep our eyes onthe prize, we can continue that legacy.”Keshia Knight Pulliam, C’01ActorThe first time Keshia Knight Pulliam came to Spelman wasin 1987. She was eight years old, and an episode of the topratedCosby Show was being filmed on campus in SistersChapel. “I saw all these beautiful African American womenand I said, ‘Wow! I’m going to Spelman College.’ ”Though her father steered her toward the (mainstream)Ivy League schools, the young woman who hadgrown up as America’s favorite baby sister, Rudy, didn’twaver from her early pledge. Spelman was the only schoolshe applied to; she got in on early admission, majoring insociology with a concentration in theater and film at ClarkAtlanta University.On the small campus of exceptional young Blackwomen, Knight Pulliam stood out. Because everyone knewher face and had grown up with her in their living rooms,they felt they knew her as a person. Of course, it was an eternallycherubic one-dimensional Rudy they knew, not theflesh and blood three-dimensional Keshia. And unlike herclassmates who were just starting the process of clarifyingtheir ambitions and realizing their professional dreams, shehad scaled the heights of mega-stardom at a very early age.“I had some drama at Spelman,” she admits. “A lot ofpeople had preconceived notions about me. I had incidentswhere people walked into the dorm, knocking on the doorto my room, to girls who were haters and jealous.” Shecredits Dean Alwood, dean of students during Keshia’s firstyear, for helping her over the hurdles. “But the good faroutweighed the annoying,” she says, and “I walked awaywith a fabulous education.”She has three younger brothers, one a senior at Morehouse.“He says I don’t understand the magnitude of whatI have achieved.” The first time it hit her, she says, was “sittingin a sociology class hearing about how the CosbyShow shaped society.”Knight Pulliam chose sociology because “society relatesto film; your job as an actor is to bring the real-life dynamics.”Her studies included a focus on images of AfricanAmerican women in “Blaxploitation” films. “I’m interestedin the study of the evolution of African Americanwomen in film.” She rounded out her campus experienceby pledging Delta Sigma Theta sorority.While at Spelman, Knight Pulliam was offered actingopportunities, but she chose to focus on her studies andpersonal growth. Overall, college “makes you a strongerperson in depending on yourself and knowing what you’recapable of. It’s empowering; you’re away from your parentsand what is familiar, and you have to navigate through allof these different obstacles, and you come out feeling, ‘If Ican do this, there’s not much I can’t do.’”36S P E L M A N M E S S E N G E R

Keshia Knight Pulliam donated her $37,000 winnings onWeakest Link to Spelman.After graduating in 2001, Knight Pulliam took sometime off. Education, she says, “gives you perspective. A lot ofacting is about having perspective and bringing life experienceto the screen, and the more you have, it helps youbecome that much better of an actor. More than anything,it gives you the security of knowing ‘if I decide to do somethingelse, I can; this isn’t the only thing I’m good at.’”She has stayed grounded thanks to a strong belief inGod and a close-knit family. “They wouldn’t let me go Hollywood.”Thanks to them, she says she stays “down-toearthand very humble.”Prior to attending Spelman, Knight Pulliam appearedin several television and theatrical films including The LittleMatch Girl, Polly and Polly: Comin’ Home, The LastDragon and Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court.She is back in front of the camera, with guest appearanceson such television shows as Weakest Link and Fear Factorand The Mole. In fact she donated her $37,000 WeakestLink earnings to Spelman.More recently, she has acted in What About YourFriends: Weekend Getaway and Motives ’04, and shegraced rapper Chingy’s video for the hit song, “One CallAway.” “I’ve been strategically selecting roles,” sheexplains, and one project she has enjoyed is the upcomingBeauty Shop with Queen Latifah, Alicia Silverstone, AlfreWoodward, Kevin Macon and Mira Sovari.Her long-term goal for acting is to have “a diverse bodyof work. Like Halle has played so many different types ofthings. I’d love to do a period piece. Every role can be in adifferent time and a different space.”She is also writing, with plans to direct and produce. Atthe heart of her growing endeavors is the career she beganF A L L 2 0 0 4Photo courtesy of Keshia Knight Pulliamat nine months old. “I’ve been in this business my wholelife, 25 years, and I’m just taking my time. I love acting; it’sabout the craft for me.”Her biggest advice? “It’s wonderful to follow yourdreams; I was in a very fortunate position. In followingyour dreams, you have to continue to go to school. Today,so many little kids want to be singers and entertainers. Thecompetition is so stiff, you need an education to fall backon. You can get an education and follow your dreams onthe side.” No matter what, she emphasizes, “Don’t abandonthe education.”As for acting, “do it because you love the craft. It’s notabout the fame, the fortune, the notoriety. Stay humble.Stay grounded; it’s so important.” And to young people tryingto find their way amid parental expectations she adds,“live for what’s going to make you happy.”These are some, but not all, of the Spelman womenbrightening the entertainment industry with their gifts,and each stands on the shoulders of their Spelman sister,the late Esther Rolle, ‘C42, best known for playing thestrong-willed mother Florida on the hit 1970s sitcom GoodTimes. Rolle, whose social conscience earned her a reputationas a “remarkable actress with a cause and a woman ofher convictions” shone even as an onscreen maid – a rolethat epitomized the limited opportunities for even the mostgifted African American actresses a few decades ago. Shewon an Emmy for one such role in the movie Summer ofMy German Soldier.Rolle’s other film credits included Driving Miss Daisy,Rosewood, and How to Make an American Quilt”Though she passed away – from complications due to diabetes– in 1998 at age 78, Esther Rolle laid a great deal ofthe groundwork for her Spelman sisters to follow. It isbecause of such thespian pioneers, who imbued stereotypicalroles with uncommon talent and grace, that Spelmanwomen of stage and screen who walk in her footsteps areable to flourish and shine.TARESSA STOVALL, co-editor of the anthology PROVERBSFOR THE PEOPLE: Contemporary African-American Literature,is an author and professor living in New Jersey.She has stayedgrounded thanks to astrong belief in Godand a close-knit family.“They wouldn’t let mego Hollywood.”K ESHIA K NIGHT P ULLIAM,C’0137

Alumnae Notes38Sister to Sister:SPELMANTHE THREAD THAT BINDSSPIRIT ~ LEADERSHIP ~SERVICEFor generations of women, Spelman has served as aresource of invaluable threads, connecting them towholeness of spirit, effectual leadership and commitmentto service. For some, these threads were firstwoven by prominent voices of wisdom heard in SistersChapel. For others, the unfolding fibers of character andduty are bound to experiences revealed in a classroom inGiles Hall or Tapley, words of encouragement spoken in aresidence hall by a roommate or classmate, the passionignited for a just cause during a 10K walk or marathonrun, or the exhilaration ofmoments spent tutoring an elementaryschool student in the WestEnd community which surroundsthe Spelman gates. Yet, regardlessof whether the time or the testimonyfinds us as a student or analumna, Spelman, for each of us,is the thread that binds.Throughout Founders Day andReunion activities, and my ongoinginteractions and correspondencewith alumnae, I have collected anoverwhelming amount of evidencethat proves the connection betweenthe Spelman mission to “developthe intellectual, ethical and leadershippotential of its students” andthe reality of the fulfillment of this assignment as witnessedthrough the actions and achievements of alumnae. Ourcase rests solidly in the facts that appear in this letter, and onthe pages that subsequently follow. And as Spelman womendo the awesome things that we do, in the ways that only wecan do it, we engage the world, summoning it to be judgesand jurors. And the world, in turn, comes to know Spelmanand the women who are the products of this amazing educationalexperience.During the 2004 Founders Day celebration, we recognizedthe spirit, leadership and service of 10 of our own duringthe Spelman Alumnae Achievement Awards hosted byTiffany & Co. at Atlanta’s Phipps Plaza. A few weeks later, theReunion Banquet and Blue Note Theatre provided a celebratoryenvironment to honor our commitment as alumnaeto being donors and volunteers. The 2004 Reunionclasses competed in the category of philanthropy, with theGolden Girl Class of 1954 receiving top honors for theEloise Alexis, C’86, Director of AlumnaeAffairs and Annual Giving with Class of1954 representative Ruby Handspike Clay.most significant Reunion class gift that ultimately totaled$79,580 at the conclusion of the fiscal year. Collectively, theReunion classes gave $423,951. The class with the highestpercentage of donor participation was the Class of 1949.The Reunion effort played a key role in our ability to surpassour ambitious 2003–2004 goals to achieve $1,017,000in total giving and 21% donor participation fromalumnae. Additionally, the National Alumnae Association ofSpelman College (NAASC) extended its highest awards toPearline Adamson Davis, C’58 (Hall of Fame), RoseHarris Johnson, C’57 (Merit) and Janet Lane Martin,C’72 (Merit).The Class of 2004 gave indication of the readiness ofits members to join the alumnae ranks when they took onthe challenge of conducting the Senior Class AppreciationCampaign, an effort designed to encourage seniorgifts to the Annual Fund in honor of faculty, staff and familymembers who impacted their Spelmanexperience. As a result of thisclass effort, and the support of theNAASC through a challenge gift, theClass of 2004 established a SeniorClass Assistance Fund as a sourceof financial assistance for members ofthe Class of 2005.The Spelman legacy is often tiedto family legacies, as is the case withour cherished affiliation with thePhoto: Bud SmithDobbs Family. President BeverlyDaniel Tatum spent time withWillie Dobbs Blackburn, C’31,who at age 94 is one of six Dobbs sisters,all of whom attended Spelman.Also present during the visit was Mrs.Blackburn’s sister, Dr. June DobbsButts, C’48, as well as her daughter, Juliet Blackburn-Beamon, C’58.President Tatum, along with members of the SpelmanCollege family, joined the Dobbs family at a ceremony inwhich Mattiwilda Dobbs-Janzon, C’46, was inductedinto the Georgia Music Hall of Fame (see “Take Note!”).These are just a few of the prevailing and intertwiningthreads of which the fine garments of the Spelman sisterhoodare made. As the frequency and preeminence of ourstories grow, blessed be our spirit, our leadership and ourservice – the Spelman threads that bind.In the Spelman spirit,Eloise A. Alexis, C’86Director of Alumnae Affairs and Annual GivingS P E L M A N M E S S E N G E R

SPELMAN COLLEGEALUMNAE ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS2004 RECIPIENTSARTS & MEDIAMargarethia G. Ellis, C’84Founder & Publisher, Me Magazine for Women -Macon, GAAnnie Jewell Moore, C’43Fashion Designer & Owner, Ann MooreCouturiere, Inc - Atlanta, GABUSINESS & LAWRita Benton Gibson, C’73Program Director, Integral Properties, CarverHomes Revitalization Project - Atlanta, GARose HamsJohnson, C’57,NAASC Merit Awardrecipient.Photo: Bud SmithPhoto: Bud SmithPearline AdamsonDavis, C’58, NAASCHall of Fame Awardrecipient.NAASC President(2002-2004) RosaKing Kilpatrick, C’70with Janet LaneMartin, C’72, NAASCMerit Awardrecipient.Photo: Bud SmithMarilyn “Penny” Jones Joseph, C’76Director, Recruiting and Outreach Programs,Panasonic/Matsushita Electric Corporation ofAmericaEast Orange, NJCIVIC SERVICERuby Handspike Clay, C’54Community Servant/Leader and RetiredEducator - Lithonia, GAPhoto courtesy of Dobbs FamilyPresident Tatum and WillieDobbs Blackburn, C’31.Photo: Bud SmithGeneva Hood Watson-Dean, C’59Educator and Community Activist - Brooklyn, NYEDUCATIONChristine King Farris, C’48Associate Professor and Director, LearningResource Center, Spelman College - Atlanta, GABeverly Guy-Sheftall, Ph.D., C’66Anna Julia Cooper Professor of Women’s Studiesand Director of the Women’s Center, SpelmanCollegeAtlanta, GAHEALTH & SCIENCESYolanda Wade Smith, M.D., C’90Physician and Clinical Researcher, RutgersUniversity Health Service - West Orange, NJGolden Girl Class of 1954Photo: Bud SmithJacqueline Holloway Sulton, M.D., C’78Principal Pediatric Physician and President &CEO, The Sulton Pediatric Group, PCLithonia, GAAchievers 2004Photo: Bud SmithF A L L 2 0 0 439

Alumnae Notes1938Dovey Johnson RoundtreePersonal: Celebrated her 90th birthday onApril 17, 2004, at the Museum of the NewSouth in Charlotte, North Carolina.1941Jenelsie Walden HollowayPersonal: Her sketch, Figure in Motion, waschosen as the signature piece for the firstannual Illuminations: Artistic MemoriesCocktail Party and Auction hosted by theAlzheimer’s Association Atlanta Auxiliary. Shewas the subject of an article in the AtlantaDaily World, “Holloway’s Work BenefitsAlzheimer’s Group.”Johnnie Hines ProthroPersonal: Honored by WXIA-TV with the 11Alive Community Service Award in April. Atage 78, Mrs. Prothro volunteers at the MidtownAssistance Center, the First PresbyterianChurch, Project Open Hand and Meals onWheels. She was the subject of an article in theAtlanta Daily World, “Retired Professor Honoredwith Community Service Award.”1943Annie MooreProfessional: Produced a Fashion DesignExhibit, Timeless Fashion: A Woman Ahead ofHer Time, on February 27, 2004, at the Music& Art Complex of Clark Atlanta University.1944Jeanne SpurlockSee Take Note!1946Ollivette Smith AllisonPersonal: Her story was featured on Fox 5,WAGA-Atlanta, during its Black History Monthprogram, Real People, Real Stories, Real History.Ms. Allison was an orphan in the CarrieSteel Pitts Home where she became its firstsocial service worker. She still serves as theexecutive director at age 80.Mattiwilda Dobbs-JanzonSee Take Note!Christine King FarrisSee Take Note!1949Ella Gaines YatesPersonal: Honored by the Friends of SouthwestRegional Library on April 22, 2004, at itsfirst annual “Books for Life” gala fundraiser.1949Doris McCollumPersonal: Honored by the Antioch BaptistChurch in Cleveland, Ohio, in recognition ofchurch membership of more than 50 years.1952Joy San Walker BrownPersonal: She and her husband, Dr. Calvin A.Brown (Morehouse, C’52), achieved a milestone,marking their 50th wedding anniversary.Her husband passed on July 8, 2004, afteran extended illness. Daughters JoiSanneBrown, M.D., C’81, and SannaGai Brown,M.D., C’83, had joined their father to form theBrown Medical Associates P.C. in the West Endcommunity.1955Audrey Forbes ManleySee Take Note!1959Geneva Watson DeanPersonal: Honored by the Association of BlackEducators of New York, Inc. as the Teacher ofthe Year (High School of Legal Studies) at the29th Annual Scholarship and Awards Luncheonheld on June 19, 2004.1960Marian Wright EdelmanProfessional: Was named by Ebony Magazineas one of the 100+ Influential BlackAmericans. Also interviewed by Parade Magazinein celebration of the 30-year anniversaryof the Children’s Defense Fund. CDF founder,Ms. Edelman, shared a report card on the stateof America’s children.June Gary HoppsPersonal: Honored by the Links, Inc. alongwith her three sisters at a reception held at theHigh Museum of Art.1963Brenda Hill ColeSee Take Note!1965Alice WalkerSee Take Note!1967Barbara Anthony BrownProfessional: After 35 years of service, Ms.Brown retired from Spelman College on June29, 2004. She held various positions such assecretary in the Business Office, counselor forfreshman students, director of career planningand placement, coordinator of student activities,associate dean of students and interimvice president for student affairs. She introducedSpelman students to non-traditionalcareers of investment banking, consulting,research, sales and marketing. She createdSASE, the Spelman Alumna Student Externshipprogram. The resulting corporate relationshipsbecame the basis for the SpelmanCorporate Partnership Program. Ms. Brownretired from the College as the associate directorof institutional effectiveness.Berdie Ricks HardonPersonal: Participant in the Founders DayAlumnae Worship Service that was held in SistersChapel on April 4, 2004.1968Jane SmithProfessional: Appointed as the executive directorfor the Spelman College Leadership Center.1969Laura English-RobinsonProfessional: Presented a faculty recital atSpelman College on March 3, 2004.Maxine HayesSee Take Note!Shirley MarksSee Take Note!Beverly SimonsProfessional: Keynote speaker at the MorehouseSchool of Medicine at the Fall Convocationin 2003. Beverly was the only Spelmangraduate in the charter class of the MorehouseSchool of Medicine. Also spoke to reunionersat the 35th year reunion on the topic “HealthyLiving from Head to Toe: 35 Things You Needto Know.”1970Yvonne JacksonSee Take Note!Ollie Irons ManleyProfessional: Presented the following papers:“Integrating Technology in the Science andMathematics Curriculum” at the UNCF FellowsInstitute, “A Wholistic Approach toTeaching Environmental Education” at theEnvironmental Education Alliance of Georgiaconference and “Using Peer Tutoring to TeachChemistry” at the Georgia Academy of Sciencein March 2004. She also presented “Differentiatingthe Elementary and Science CurriculumUsing Multiple Intelligence” at the NationalScience Teachers Association annual conferencein April 2004. She received the followinggrants: The UNCF Research Grant for Technologyand a Service Learning Grant.1971Tina McElroy AnsaSee Take Note!Pearl CleageSee Take Note!Latanya Richardson JacksonSee Take Note!40 S P E L M A N M E S S E N G E R

Take Note!When Essence magazine compiled words and wisdom from the womenand men who have appeared in the magazine’s stories and articlesthroughout the years, two Spelman alumnae were among those chosento appear in the book, Wisdom of the Ages: ExtraordinaryPeople 19 to 90. LaTanya Richardson Jackson,C’74, and her husband, Samuel L. Jackson, are featured,offering insightful words on love, faith and healing inmarriage. Jerri L. DeVard, C’79, talks about choosingwisely in love and spending quality time with family.Marian Wright Edelman, C’60, wasnamed among the 100+ Most InfluentialBlack Americans for 2004 as compiled byEbony magazine in the May 2004 issue.In the same issue, Keshia Knight Pulliam,C2001, is featured in an articleentitled “”Where Are the Child Stars ofYesterday?” Ms. Pulliam is known for herrole as Rudy on The Cosby Show, forwhich she became – at six – the youngestactress ever nominated for an Emmy. Seepage 37.Seven Spelman women areincluded in the NationalLibrary of Medicine exhibition,Changing the Face of Medicine:Celebrating America’sWomen Physicians, whichhonors the lives and accomplishmentsof women physiciansand is designed to inspirea new generation of medicalpioneers. They are Georgia Rooks Dwelle, M.D., H.S., C1900, JeanneSpurlock, M.D., F.S.C’44, Audrey Forbes Manley, M.D., M.P.H., C’55,Maxine Hayes, M.D., C’69, Shirley F. Marks, M.D., M.P.H., C’69, VirginiaDavis Floyd, M.D., C’73, and Deborah Prothrow-Stith, M.D.,C’75. The exhibit will run through April 2, 2005, at the National Library of Medicinelocated at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland. View itonline at www.nlm.nih.gov/changingthefaceofmedicine.Christine King Farris, C’48, receivedtop honors during the NAACP 35th AnnualImage Awards ceremony, celebrating outstandingwork by people of color in film, televisionand literature. She was honored in theliterary category for her children’s book, MyBrother Martin: A Sister Remembers GrowingUp With the Rev. Dr. Martin LutherKing, Jr. This recognition was highlighted inthe March 29, 2004 issue of JET Magazine.F A L L 2 0 0 441

1972Kathleen McGhee AndersonProfessional: The executive producer of thesuccessful HBO Series, Soul Food, which premieredits final season.Sheryl Harris GripperPersonal: Founder of the Black Women FilmPreservation Project. The group honoredactress/director/activist Sheryl Lee Ralph,photographer Sue Ross and Jennifer Harper,writer of “Playas Ball” at the fundraiser heldin March 2004.Janet Lane MartinPersonal: Participant in the Founders DayAlumnae Worship Service that was held inSisters Chapel on April 4, 2004.1973Virginia Davis FloydProfessional: Was initiated into the EpsilonChapter of the Georgia Chapter of the PhiBeta Kappa Society as an Alumnae Initiateon April 24, 2004.Pamela Gunter-SmithProfessional: Worked on a project that studiedlearning environments that promotedthe development of women leaders while onan ACE Fellowship at the University of Miami.Lillian Cain HillProfessional: Was interviewed for an articlefor the Reading Online series Teachers’Voices, titled “Fostering Preschool Learningwith Standards and Computers: An Interviewwith Lillian Cain Hill.” The feature celebratesprojects that combine technology andliteracy.Fleda Mask JacksonProfessional: Contributed to the bookInstructing and Mentoring the AfricanAmerican College Student: Strategies forSuccess in Higher Education. She was alsothe co-chair of the committee responsible forthe Martin Luther King Jr. Community ServiceAwards at Emory University. The EmorySchool of Public Health visiting associateprofessor was the subject of an article in theEmory report, “Remembering King & Community.”Personal: Dr. Jackson was the Women’s Dayspeaker at the Ebenezer Baptist Church inAtlanta on July 18, 2004.Janice White SikesMarried: Rev. Will Rogers at the Cane CreekWaterfalls in the North Georgia mountains.Professional: Public librarian specializingin African American studies at the AuburnAvenue Research Library in Atlanta. Foundedthe Intergenerational Dialogue, a counselingand community building service locatedin historic West End.1974Neva McGhee WilliamsSee Take Note!1975L. Patricia IceMarried: William L. Chandler on May 1,2004, at the Unitarian Universalist Churchin Jackson, Mississippi. She and her husband,along with stepsons Martin andWilliam, live in Jackson, Mississippi.Professional: Completed five years as animmigration law attorney in Jackson. Memberof the Bar in Michigan, New Mexico andMississippi.Deborah Prothrow-StithSee Take Note!1976Deborah ChocolateSee Book NotesY. Yvonne CribbsPersonal: Introduced the speaker for theFounders Day Worship Service that was heldin Sisters Chapel on April 4, 2004.Yolande Herron-PalmoreProfessional: Pastor of the Kainos CommunityChurch in Katy, Texas. Brought themessage for the Founders Day Worship Servicethat was held in Sisters Chapel on April4, 2004.1977Zenobia HikesProfessional: Dr. Hikes is the vice presidentfor student affairs at Spelman and contributedto the book Instructing and Mentoringthe African American CollegeStudent: Strategies for Success in HigherEducation.1978Marshalita Sims PetersonProfessional: Dr. Peterson is the chair andassistant professor in the Education Departmentat Spelman. She co-authored the text,Instructing and Mentoring the AfricanAmerican College Student: Strategies forSuccess in Higher Education. The textfocuses on academic environments andclassroom strategies as they relate to achievementlevels of African American college students.The text identifies successful retentionand mentoring techniques that have beenadvantageous for Black students.Cynthia Neal SpenceProfessional: Dr. Spence is an associate professorat Spelman and contributed to thebook Instructing and Mentoring theAfrican American College Student: Strategiesfor Success in Higher Education.1979Keva Wright BerryProfessional: Assumed new position as thefinancial manager for the College of Arts &Sciences at the University of Southern Mainein Portland, Maine.Jerri DeVard – See “Take Note!”Personal: Was honored as one of the 25Influential Black Women in Business by theBlack Professionals and Small BusinessMagazine at their Sixth Annual Awards Programthat was held in New York City onMarch 19, 2004.1980Patricia Rattley JohnsonPersonal: Recently published the book,Journey into God’s Presence which chroniclesa 15-year spiritual journey following thedeath of her husband in a plane crash withthe late Congressman Mickey Leland.Professional: An ordained minister andprofessor at Nyack College (D.C. campus).Valerie Johnson KaalundProfessional: Dr. Kaalund is an assistantprofessor in African and Afro-American Studiesat the University of North Carolina atChapel Hill and is the first recipient of theMeardis Cannon Fellowship. The Fellowshiprequires use of the African American holdingsin Special Collections. Her research projectis African American Written Word andMoral Imagination.1981Kiron K. SkinnerEducation: Earned an M.A. and a Ph.D. inpolitical science and international relationsfrom Harvard University.Professional: Appointed to the NationalSecurity Education Board and Chief of NavalOperations Executive Panel by United StatesDefense Secretary Donald Rumsfield. Assistantprofessor of history and political scienceat Carnegie Mellon University, she specializesin the study of American foreign policy,international relations theory and internationalsecurity. She is also a research fellowat the Hoover Institution at Stanford University.Co-edited the New York Times bestsellercollection of speeches, Reagan, In HisOwn Hand: The Writings of Ronald ReaganThat Reveal His Revolutionary Wisdomfor America; Stories in His OwnHand: The Everyday Wisdom of RonaldReagan and Reagan in His Own Voice.Donna Stephens MorganEducation: Earned a master of cross-culturaleducation degree from National Universityon May 9, 2004.Sheron Covington PattersonPersonal: Dr. Patterson is the senior pastorof the St. Paul United Methodist Church inDallas and wrote an editorial that was featuredin the Dallas, Texas Morning News –“These women told rap star, ‘Enough,’”which discusses the Spelman students’response to the Nelly video.1982Bridgett M. DavisProfessional: Published her debut novel,Shifting Through Neutral. Her previous projectwas the award-winning feature film,Naked Acts.Jodi Clement SmartPersonal: Elected to the Board of Directors ofthe Fresh Air Fund, a not-for-profit agencythat provides summer vacations in the countryfor low-income neighborhood children.Also serves on the Acquisitions Committee ofthe Studio Museum in Harlem, a contemporaryart museum for artists of African descent.1984Vida L. AveryProfessional: Program officer with the BeaumontFoundation of America, Inc. in Beaumont,Texas.Doe WinfreySee Take Note!1985Vickie L. HughesProfessional: Received J.D. degree with concentrationsin litigation and constitutionallaw/civil rights from the Thomas M. CooleyLaw School.Stacee Utsey HortonPersonal: Featured in the 2004 Special Editionof Who’s Who in Black Atlanta that waspublished by the Who’s Who PublishingCompany in Columbus, Ohio.1986Kathleen Edwards MondSee Take Note!Dazon Dixon DialloProfessional: Received the National BlackHerstory Auset Award at the Seventh AnnualNational Black Herstory Conference andAwards Banquet on March 26–27, 2004. Theconference was co-sponsored by Emory Universityand dedicated to the memory of Dr.Etta Zuber Falconer, a long-time professor ofmathematics at Spelman College.Sharon ToomerProfessional: Editorial producer for the CNNFinancial News program Your Money.Angela Farris WatkinsProfessional: Dr. Watkins is an associateprofessor in the psychology department atSpelman College and is a contributor to the42S P E L M A N M E S S E N G E R

Take Note!Black Enterprise magazineprofiled Yvonne R. Jackson,C’70, in the Powerplaysection of the June 2004 issue.Ms. Jackson, who is the headof global human resources atPfizer, the largest pharmaceuticalcompany in the world, isresponsible for more than120,000 employees worldwide.She also serves as chair of theSpelman College Board ofTrustees.When notable Southern writers are mentionedor gathered, Tina McElroy Ansa, C’72, isone of the most noted among them, as is evidentin “Made in the Shade,” a series of profilesof such writers found in the June 17–23, 2004issue of Creative Loafing.Ansa is highlighted for herSouthern presence as awriter, editor, teacher,author of four novels,emerging filmmakerand founder of the SeaIsland Writers Workshop,designed to helpAfrican Americanwriters make theirway into print.F A L L 2 0 0 4“Pearl Cleage: SouthwestAtlanta’s Literary Jewel” is thecover story of the Summer 2004issue of Southwest Atlanta Magazine.A resident of SouthwestAtlanta for more than 30 years,Pearl Cleage, C’71, is anauthor, playwright and professorwhose noted works include thenovel What Looks Like Crazy onAn Ordinary Day and the play“Blues for an Alabama Sky.” Shefrequently contributes essays andarticles to leading publications,including “Learning to Say No”which appeared in the February2004 Wise Women section ofEssence.The late actress Esther Rolle, F.S.’42, is amongthe popular TV moms shown on a postcard availablefrom fotofolio.com. Miss Rolle is best knownfor playing Florida Evans, the strong mother character,in the situation comedy Good Times.In 2003, Kathaleena Edward Monds, C’86, an assistant professorin the Department of Business Information Systems & Educationat the Albany State University (Ga.) College of Business, wasrecognized as Teacher of the Year during the spring commencementexercises. A few months later, in August, she andher family were profiled in an Essence article, “Back to theLand,” in which she and her husband, John, a MorehouseCollege alumnus, discuss their decision to leave city livingbehind and move their family to Cairo, Georgia, a rural southerntown. In a succession of personal and professional successes,Dr. Monds taught in Belize, Central America, during the summer2004 semester and has submitted or is currently developing anumber of papers and publications associated with her professionaland student-advised research and teaching.43

Alumnae Notesbook Instructing and Mentoring theAfrican American College Student: Strategiesfor Success in Higher Education.1987Jennifer Satterfield SiegelPersonal: Was honored by The IndianapolisBusiness Journal as one of the 40 under 40who have distinguished themselves in theIndianapolis community.1988Pamela BigelowBirth: Boy, Jaylen MeKhi on July 21, 2004, at3:25 a.m. at the Henry Medical Center–weight 7 lbs. and 19 inches long.Angela LylesProfessional: Cast member as The Goddessin the performance of “The Temptation ofSt. Anthony” that completed a five-countryEuropean tour. The stateside performance ofthe production was held at the BrooklynAcademy of Music in October 2004.Cherise KimballMarried: Jose Newell on March 21, 2003, inMontego Bay, Jamaica.Birth: Boy, Nigel Kenard Newell on April 22,2004.1989Deborah Anderson-TinsleyProfessional: Realtor with the ColdwellBanker, Cascade Realty in Atlanta, Georgia.Wendy G. JohnsonEducation: Obtained an M.D. from the Universityof Maryland before pursuing a master’sin public health from HarvardUniversity.Professional: The bio/pre-med major is nowa practicing pediatrician. In December 2003,she opened a photography business, “wendyg photography, LLC,” that specializes in weddings,special occasions and portraits.Alonia JerniganProfessional: The founding publisher ofIMANI: The Magazine of Faith, Family &Empowerment conducted a workshop, The10 Commandments for Effective Business, atthe Butler Street YMCA on March 20, 2004.Lisa StinsonProfessional: Georgia residential mortgagelicensee with the HomeBanc Mortgage Corporationin Tucker, Georgia.Sheronda L. Youngblood-MintonProfessional: Joined the InstitutionalAdvancement staff at the InterdenominationalTheological Center (ITC) as the majorgifts officer for the Youth Hope BuildersAcademy.1990Schonay Barnett-JonesBirth: Daughter, Olivia Grace, born on April20, 2004, weighing 7 lbs., 5 oz. She joins bigbrother Cameron and big sister KendallClaire.ViaKristi VarnellMarried: Kevin Borden on July 3, 2004, atThe Atrium in Norcross, Georgia.Victoria Spear DarrisawBirth: Daughter, Helen Victoria Darrisaw,born on February 12, 2004. Husband GeorgeDarrisaw, Jr., and three-year-old George IIIalso welcome new addition.Kellye BlackburnMarried: George Eccles on March 9, 2002Birth: Son, Emerson Blackburn Eccles, onNovember 30, 2003, weighing 6 lbs. 7 oz.and 19 inches long.Anjanette Belt ElliganProfessional: Employed as a regional clinicalresearch associate (CRA) for AstraZenicaPharmaceuticals.Tracey D. HughesProfessional: An independent consultantwith Warm Spirit, a line of natural beautyproducts such as body butter, massage oilsand teas.Loree JonesProfessional: Appointed by PhiladelphiaMayor John F. Street as the chief of staff tothe managing director of the City of Philadelphia.She will support the citizens ofPhiladelphia by implementing initiativesthat improve the delivery of social and cityservices.Personal: Appointed by Mayor Street to thePhiladelphia Workforce Investment Board inSeptember 2003. She is the recipient of the2003 Whitney M. Young, Jr., Young LeaderAward given by the Urban League ofPhiladelphia.Kandace Weems-NorrisSee Take Note!1991Cherry A. CollierProfessional: Author of the book, Move Outof Your Own Way, which offers tools andtips for reaching and exceeding goals(www.thefruitsoflabor.com).Lisa CylarProfessional: Joined the Community Foundationfor Southeastern Michigan in February2004 as the director of development.Previously practiced law for 10 years in theDetroit area.Married: Derrick Anthony Miller and has atwo-year-old son, Miles.Keceya Campbell DurhamEducation: Earned a master’s in educationfrom Bowie State University on May 25,2003.Birth: Daughter, Logan Elyse Durham, onSeptember 9, 2003, weighing 6lbs. 3 oz. and20 inches long.Keisha EvertszMarried: La Roy Michael Williams, IV, onJune 19, 2004, at The Atrium, Norcross,Georgia.Sonja K. KnightonProfessional: Appointed as the city attorneyfor the City of Miami Gardens, Florida.Sherina Redding PateProfessional: Relationship manager withthe First Horizon Home Loans, South AtlanticRegion, in Dunwoody, Georgia.Torii RansomeMarried: Craig M. Freeman on August 8,1998Education: Earned law degree from thePaul M. Hebert Law Center in Baton Rouge,Louisiana.Professional: Hired as the assistant directorof human resources at Louisiana State Universityin Baton Rouge, Louisiana.Births: Son, Ransome Aaron Freeman, onAugust 23, 2001, and daughter, Baylor ConstanceFreeman, on July 1, 2003.Michelle L. Warner WallerBirth: Charles D. Waller III, who was born onOctober 16, 2003, weighing 6 lbs., 9 oz. and20 inches long. Husband, Charles, and 3three-year-old daughter, Lauren, welcomethe addition.Professional: Employed as senior associatewith Baker and Hostetter LLP in Cleveland,Ohio.Stephanie L. WilliamsEducation: Completed a master’s degree inorganizational management at GeorgeWashington University.1992Allecia AlexanderProfessional: Appointed as the director ofCoordinated School Health and Partnershipsfor the Chicago Public Schools on April 12,2004. Ms. Alexander will implement the CDCModel for Healthy School Children initiative.In her position, she will coordinate thehealth services, physical education, environmentalprotection, nutritional services, mentalhealth services, community involvementand employee health and prevention servicesfor the Chicago school population comprisedof 438,000 children.Carlotta A. JohnsonEducation: Received a Ph.D. in electricaland computer engineering [lower case]from Vanderbilt University on May 9, 2003.44S P E L M A N M E S S E N G E R

Take Note!The magazine rolling out atlanta consistently showcasesthe accomplishments of Spelman alumnae. In the January15, 2004, issue, Kandance Weems-Norris, C90, isdeemed the “crème de la crème” in thebusiness profile of her work as a lawyer atSullivan & Cromwell, one of the nation’soldest law firms. From the New York companyheadquarters, Weems-Norris directsfinancial and legal deals for some of themost powerful national and internationalcompanies, including managing millionandmultimillion-dollar sales of hotelsand real estate. In a later rolling out issue,Dulcina “Doe” Winfrey, C’84, is thesubject of the business profile as vice president– marketing manager for SouthTrustMortgage Corporationin Decatur, Georgia. Inthis role, Ms. Winfreyis making home ownershipfor all, but particularlyAfricanAmerican women, areality. In a June2004 Atlanta Journal-Constitutionreport on homesales in the Atlantaarea, Winfrey isquoted as jokinglyrefers to herself as “the financier ofthe sisterhood,” referring to the fact that 80% of her businessis establishing mortgages for single black women from avariety of socioeconomic circumstances.PR News, the knowledge resource for professional communicators,named Tomika DePriest, C’89, PR Executive of the Year in Educationduring the PR People and Platinum PR Awards ceremonyheld October 6, 2004, in New York. Ms. DePriest is Executive Directorof Public Relations and Communicationsat Spelman. In addition tostrategically enhancing the College’sinternal and external publicrelations and communications,she led the public relations effortssurrounding the Spelman StudentProtest of Misogynist Images andLyrics in Hip Hop, which resulted inmore than 645 million mediaimpressions.Not even the making of a bicoastal career intelevision could keep Tanika Ray, C’94,from participating in her 10-year classreunion. Ms. Ray, who from Los Angeles hashosted the makeover program Head2Toe onLifetime Television, and most recently becamethe NewYork-based correspondent for the syndicatedentertainment newsmagazine Extra,served as mistress of ceremonies for the 2004Reunion Convocation hosted by her class. Shewas named the Ebony celebrity of the monthin the magazine’s October 2004 edition.When prominent Detroit attorney Geoffrey Fiegerand the local ABC television affiliate, WXYZ, conductedand aired The Intern, their own version ofDonald Trump and NBC’s Apprentice, HeatherThompson, C’99, came out the winner. Ms.Thompson competed against five other candidatesin a grueling week of tasks, which includednavigating a high ropes course, selling memorabiliaat a local hockey game and arguinga case in front of a real judge. As the winner,she was awarded a paid internship with thelaw firm Fieger, Fieger, Kennedy & Johnsonand $5,000 in scholarship money. A lawstudent at Wayne State University, Ms.Thompson is the recipient of the KennethV. Cockrel Law Scholarship. She is a writerfor the Advocate, and was featured in theWayne lawyer alumni magazine for herextensive community service.The article, “Extreme Politicians Not to Voters’ Liking,” appearing in the @Issue section of the August 20, 2004, edition of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution,offered the landslide re-election of Georgia State House of Representativesmember Alisha Thomas Morgan, C2000, as evidence that Georgia voterswere moving away from support of the “right-wing extremist” agenda. Morgandefeated her two opponents, both deemed ultraconservative, by getting 86% ofthe vote.F A L L 2 0 0 445

Her dissertation topic was Enhancing aHuman-Robot Interface via a SensoryEgo-Sphere.Married: William Tyrone Berry on November29, 2003, in Nashville, Tennessee.Professional: Employed as a professor ofelectrical engineering at Tennessee StateUniversity.Personal: Recovered from a vascular malformationand brain surgery on January 2,2004.Crystal DrakeProfessional: Her recent appointment as thepublic relations director for the United Wayof Metropolitan Atlanta was featured in theAtlanta Tribune. She was previously the specialassistant to First Lady Marie Barnes, wifeof Governor Roy Barnes.Wilmetta Toliver DialloEducation: Earned Ph.D. in African historyfrom Stanford University.Birth: Daughter, Coumba Taiba Diallo, bornon February 9, 2004, at the St. Vincent dePaul Hospital in Paris, France. Was 2 lbs. atbirth and at 5 five months of age is over 9nine lbs. Husband, Samba, and Wilmetta livein Paris, France.Monica R. JohnsonEducation: Graduated from the Turner TheologicalSeminary at the InterdenominationalTheological Seminary in May 2002.Professional: Ordained as an itinerant elderin the AME Church in October 2002. A captain(chaplain candidate) in the U.S. ArmyReserves. On staff at the St. John AME Churchin Birmingham, Alabama.Ulrica WilsonEducation: Earned a Ph.D. in division algebrasfrom Emory University.1993Elisa CramerProfessional: Ms. Cramer is an editorialwriter for The Palm Beach Post. She wrotean editorial article, “Refusing to take badwith good. Spelman stood up to a rapper’smisogyny.” The article discusses the Spelmanstudent support of the National BoneMarrow Registry and criticism of disrespectfulbehavior of women in videos.Tonya Y. Jones DedeauxBirth: Daughter, Natasha Yvette Dedeaux, 7lbs. 1 oz., 19 inches long. Husband, Chris,and two-year-old brother, Jalen, welcomeaddition to the family.Professional: Employed as a counselor atWoodward Academy in College Park, Georgia.Erika Nicole JacksonMarried: Elijah Harris Garner, IV, at the OldShip AME Zion Church in Montgomery,Alabama. They honeymooned in Aruba.Professional: The Emory University Schoolof Law graduate is an assistant claims managerfor RLI Insurance.Hilary Janet JonesEducation: Earned a Ph.D. in history fromMichigan State University on May 7, 2004.Professional: Employed as an associate professorof history at Macalester College in St.Paul, Minnesota. Her specialty is West AfricanFrench-speaking countries.Alisha Coleman KnightEducation: Earned a Ph.D. in English fromDrew University in New Jersey.Professional: Employed as an assistant professorat Washington College in EasternShore, Maryland. Dr. Knight was a UNCFMellon Fellow and received an M.A. in Englishfrom Rutgers.Nicole Ann LaBeachMarried: Calvin Thomas IV at the HalfMoon Resort, Rose Hall, in Montego Bay,Jamaica. The couple lives in Los Angeles.Professional: Author and CEO of VolitionsEnterprises, Inc.Kai N. WilliamsMarried: Shannon Maurice Slaton on May15, 2004, at the Antioch Baptist ChurchNorth in Atlanta, Georgia.Kim YokelyProfessional: Was the subject of a businessprofile article in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution,“Soothing Asian Arts Practiced atRetreat.” Ms. Yokely opened Kimochi Body NSole Sanctuary, a spa salon retreat in Atlanta.She is certified in traditional Thai massage,shiatsu, reflexology, chi gong and yoga.1994Estelle ArchibaldProfessional: Hired as the Bonner scholarcoordinator at Spelman College.Tanika RaySee Take Note!Raveen A. SeatonProfessional: Employed as the vice presidentand credit manager for the Builders Bank inWestbury, New York.Daphne WalkerProfessional: Elected as magistrate courtjudge for Clayton County, Georgia.1995Loren Compton-WilliamsProfessional: Promoted to the position ofvice-president at Goldman, Sachs & Co.where she is an equity research analyst onthe U.S. Active Equity Value Team. She is amember of the portfolio management teamfor the energy, chemical and banking industries.Allessandra Beth EnnettPersonal: Was selected as a UNCF/Merckresearch dissertation fellow in 2003. Alsochosen as a recipient of the Black Engineerof the Year/GEM Student Leadership Award.Currently pursuing a Ph.D. in biomedicalengineering at the University of Michigan.Nicole Martin FranksBirth: Michelle Cheri Franks born May 13,2004.Professional: Accepted into the inauguralL.E.A.D. Atlanta program that was developedby Leadership Atlanta. Nicole is the onlyphysician chosen for the program. L.E.A.D.Atlanta is a six-week program for professionalsbetween the ages of 25 and 32 and equipsyoung people with skills, knowledge andcontacts for leadership roles.Danielle Baptiste JacksonPersonal: Selected for the prestigious twoyearGlobal Health Fellowship providedthrough the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.She was a part of the HIV, Tuberculosisand Reproductive Health Team.Teri McMurty-ChubbProfessional: Assistant professor atFairhaven College at the Western WashingtonUniversity in Bellingham, Washington.Her specialties are social and legal history,hegemony studies and comparative genderstudies.Mendi Lewis ObadikeProfessional: Published Armor and Flesh,her first collection of poems (www.lotuspress.org).A Ph.D. candidate in literature atDuke University, she is currently visitinginstructor of English and African Americanstudies at Wesleyan University.Na’Taki OsbornePersonal: Honored by the National Coalitionof 100 Black Women, Metro Atlanta Chapterwith the Unsung Heroine Award for her advocacywork on behalf of women and children.Angelique SmithBirth: Daughter, Eirini Alexia Williams, bornon December 31, 2003, weighing 7 lbs., 8 oz.,and 20 inches long.Taraesa VinsonSee Take Note!Tiquette MasonMarried: Johnny Terrell White at the FlipperTemple AME Church in Atlanta, Georgia.Education: Completed pediatric residency atthe University of Tennessee School of Medicine– Chattanooga.1996Melissa AgnewMarried: Mr. Joseph Alexander, III, on April10, 2004, in Fairfax Station, Virginia.Blessed ChuksorjiEducation: Received a juris doctor degreefrom the Georgetown University Law Centerin May 2001.Professional: Employed as the vice-presidentand corporate counsel for the U.S. TrustCompany’s Special Fiduciary Services Division.U. S. Trust is a subsidiary of the CharlesSchwab Corporation.Mekka RobinsonMarried: Michael Clark at the Bell HarborInternational Conference Center in Seattle,Washington. The couple will reside in Seattle.Professional: Employed as a probationcounselor for the City of Seattle.Deidre A. SolomonMarried: Alexis M. Richburg, Morehousealumnus, C’98, at the Chateau Elan inBraselton, GeorgiaNakia Hicks RobinsonProfessional: Founded the real estate lawfirm, The Bingham Law Group, PLLC, withtwo other partners.Spring A. TaylorEducation: Earned master of public administrationdegree in public & nonprofit management& policy from New York Universityin May 2004.1997Tiffany N. JohnsonProfessional: Passed the Georgia Bar examand was licensed to practice law in the Stateof Georgia after the swearing in ceremonyheld on June 17, 2004. Attorney Johnson isalso licensed in Alabama and the District ofColumbia.D’Rita Parrilla RobinsonMarried: Elbert O’Neal “Robbie” Robinson,Jr., a summa cum laude graduate fromMorehouse College, at the Daufuskie IslandResort and Spa on March 20, 2004.Professional: Employed as a sales representativefor Merck Pharmaceutical Company.1998Charity R. Bridgewater, Esq.Professional: An art broker with the companySimply Art, Inc. that sells canvas artreproductions of various portraits and landscapes.Katasha S. ButlerProfessional: Appointed as director of pharmacyat the Citizens Health Center, a federallyqualified health center that servesindigent persons in Indianapolis, Indiana.She is the youngest board director at CitizensHealth Corporation. She was previouslyemployed by the Indiana State Board ofHealth, PharmaSource, LLC, and CVS Pharmacy.46S P E L M A N M E S S E N G E R

Take Note!After winning the title of MissAtlanta, Danica Tisdale,C2001, became the first AfricanAmerican to be crowned MissGeorgia in the 60-year history ofthe pageant in June of 2004. In September,the Emory University graduatestudent and doctoral candidatewent on to compete for the title ofMiss America. On the evening thatABC aired the Miss America Pageant,Spelman students, faculty, staff andalumnae gathered on campus for a viewing partyto cheer Ms. Tisdale on to her impressive finishamong the top 10. After crowning another Spelmanalumna, Melanie Sanders, C2004, asher successor to the Miss Atlanta title, Danica willcontinue her reign as Miss Georgia into 2005 andprovide information and support for her platformon the importance of hospice care.Ebony Glover, C2002, is the subjectof the article, “Changing the Faceof Neuroscience,” which appears in aCenter for Behavioral Neurosciencepublication. Ms. Glover, whose interestin neuroscience began during heryears as a Spelman student, is a graduatescholar in psychologywho aims to be a role modelfor African Americanwomen considering careersin neuroscience.When she was inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame onSeptember 18, 2004, Mattiwilda Dobbs-Janzon, C’46,joined the ranks of Georgia music legends Ray Charles, GladysKnight and Lena Horne. Considered to be one of the great coloraturasopranos of our time, Mattilwilda Dobbs performed onthe stages of the greatest opera houses in the world. Her performancesoften broke the color barrier: she desegregated the SanFrancisco Opera Company and was the first black female tosing at the Metropolitan Opera House. A native Atlantan, andone of the six Dobbs sisters who graduated from Spelman, Ms.Dobbs began her formal voice training at Spelman Collegeunder the tutelage of Naomi Maise and Willis Laurence James.Fulton County StateCourt Judge BrendaHill Cole, C’63, wasone of three “savvywomen” featured inan Atlanta Journal-Constitution articleprofiling women ofvarying ages wearing trendy fashions. Although she indicatesher preference for more tailored clothing, she isphotographed wearing a striking lemon and chartreusepantsuits and complementary patent leather pumps.F A L L 2 0 0 447

Alumnae NotesStephanie D. DanielsMarried: Ralph Coleman, III, Morehousealumnus, C’98, at the Antioch Baptist ChurchNorth.Tara D. HolmanEducation: Earned a Ph.D. in philosophyfrom the University of Memphis in May 2004.Professional: Out of 1000 nominees, Dr.Holman received the Graduate Student MeritoriousTeaching Award.Kimyata R. MorganProfessional: While on campus, sherecruited Spelman students to the Albert EinsteinCollege of Medicine.Aisha E. ShamburgerEducation: Graduated magna cum laudewith a master of science in rehabilitationcounseling from the Medical College ofVirginia at the Virginia CommonwealthUniversity.1999A.R. Tulani GrundyEducation: Earned a law degree from theUniversity of Pennsylvania Law School andis practicing with an Atlanta-based law firm.Heather ThompsonSee Take Note!2000Stephanie JoinerEducation: Earned a master’s degree inpublic health from the East Tennessee StateUniversity in December 2002.Kia Campbell RahmanBirth: Son, Salih Nosakhere Abdul Rahman,born to Kia and Rashad Rahman (MorehouseClass of 2000) on July 22, 2004.2001Lakeyshia GravesMarried: Musashi Ono at the Haynes ChapelMissionary Baptist Church in Hope,Arkansas. They live in Long Beach, California.Professional: Employed as the childcaredirector for the Kettler Elementary School.Keshia Knight PulliamProfessional: Was the subject of an article “ADifferent World” in King Magazine. Wasalso in the May 2004 edition of Ebony,“Where Are The Child Stars of Yesterday?”The article notes that Ms. Pulliam was theyoungest actress ever nominated for anEmmy.Nicole D. TaylorEducation: Earned a juris doctorate fromHoward University in May 2004.Danica TisdaleSee Take Note!Tamela M. WoodsEducation: Earned a juris doctorate withhonors from the University of Minnesota LawSchool.Professional: Clerks for Justices Alan Pageand Helen Meyer of the Minnesota SupremeCourt during the 2004–2005 term.2002Philathia BoltonEducation: Earned an M.A. degree in Americanstudies from Purdue University.Professional: Instructor for an introductorycomposition course at Purdue while workingon Ph.D. in American studies. Presented“Shared Stories, Shared Pain: Gayl Jones’sCorregidora and the Civil Rights Movement”at the first Annual Women and ConflictGraduate Conference at the University of Californiaat Santa Barbara in October 2003.Her essay “Across the Americas” selected forinclusion in a volume of select studentpapers from UNC – Chapel Hill’s MooreUndergraduate Research Apprentice Program.Taneya GethersBirth: Daughter, Nia Assata Gethers Muhammad,born on July 9, 2004, at 5:26 a.m.at theBrooklyn Birthing Center, and weighing 7lbs., 8 oz. and 21 inches long.Ebony GloverSee Take Note!Kafia HaileProfessional: Awarded a Joan GillespieFoundation Fellowship while pursuing amaster of arts in law and diplomacy degreein International Security at the FletcherSchool of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University.Will teach class “Black FeministThought” at Tuft’s Experimental College inMedford, Massachusetts.Brittny M. MeekinsProfessional: Assistant to the provost andvice-president of the Levin Institute of InternationalRelations and Commerce in NewYork, New York.2003Elena Jettaun BellMarried: Derrick B. Walker at the ParadiseLakes Country Club in Riverdale, Georgia,on May 30, 2004.Preye Kilanko CobhamMarried: Brian Armon Tillman at the WyndhamVinings in Atlanta, Georgia, on May 29,2004.Makeba Dixon-HillProfessional: Appointed coordinator of publicprograms and education at the StudioMuseum in Harlem, New York following thecompletion of a one-year internship.Ashley V. JenkinsProfessional: Employed as an associatestaffing specialist with Reebok InternationalLtd. in Canton, Massachusetts. Responsiblefor the recruitment of associates for theReebok Distribution Centers.2004Tiffany WellsProfessional: Employed by King & Spalding.Teach for AmericaSpelman Alumnae in the Teach forAmerica program. Teach for America isa nonprofit organization that placesoutstanding college graduates in ruralor urban schools for two years. The followingalumnae are participating in forthe 2004–05 year:Class of 1995Leslie Shaw-McGee – NewarkClass of 2000Ayana Gabriel – AtlantaClass of 2001Taylor Smith – NewarkClass of 2002Jennifer Grimes – AtlantaShaba Simmons – AtlantaClass of 2003Elena Bell – AtlantaShaymora Blanks – MiamiApril Broussard – BaltimoreSamantha Chamblee - New YorkClarissa Collins – AtlantaNiyoka Dixon – AtlantaSalena Gray – AtlantaJennifer Hembrick – ChicagoShakira Hemphill – New YorkNathalie Means – St. LouisEbony Thomas – New YorkTonya Phipps – AtlantaTamara Smith – PhiladelphiaLaQuanta Wilkins – AtlantaKendall Wilson – AtlantaClass of 2004Shaymora Blanks – MiamiErica DeBardeleben – PhiladelphiaAlexis Dimes-Smith – AtlantaAhjani Fuller – HoustonAvise Hayes – PhiladelphiaRainey Jackson – MiamiKeisha McCauley – AtlantaErika Parrish – HoustonJessica Rambo – New YorkHafeeza Rashed – AtlantaCrystal Smith – AtlantaTalisha White – Atlanta48S P E L M A N M E S S E N G E R

Take Note!Burrell, one of the nation’s leadingBlack-owned, full-service communicationsagencies with offices in Chicagoand Atlanta, announced the appointmentof N. McGhee Williams,C’80, as managing partner in the July5, 2004, issue of Jet magazine. An 18-year veteran of the agency, Ms. Williamsdirects the research, account planning,media and engagement marketingdepartments, as well as the agency’sAtlanta office.The voice of TeraesaVinson, C’95, isdescribed as velvet, versatileand sophisticatedin reviews of her musicalrelease, OpportunityPlease Knock. Tacklingsongs made famous bysuch masters as Dinah Washington and Frank Sinatra, Ms. Vinson’s debutrecording is heralded as one that confidently and competently bringstogether the sounds of swing, pop and jazz. More information about Vinsonand her music can be found at www.teraesavinson.com.In “Grandmother Spirit,” the cover story of the March/April 2004 issueof Pages magazine, Alice Walker, FS’65, discusses turning 60 andother turning points in her life and career as writer and activist. Mostrecently, Atlanta hosted the world premiere of The Color Purple, a newmusical adaptedto stage and basedon Ms. Walker’sacclaimed novel.Bernice Johnson Reagon, C’70, is composerand lyricist for The Temptation of St. Anthony, amusical which opened to rave reviews at theBrooklyn Academy of Music on Tuesday, October19, 2004. The music Dr. Reagon created for thisproduction delves into African American musicalstyles from spiritual and blues to soul and funk.F A L L 2 0 0 449

Reunion 2004SPELMAN: THE THREAD THAT BINDSSpirit ~ Leadership ~ ServiceEXCERPTS FROM SPELMAN REUNION CONVOCATIONMAY 14, 2004MARLA FREDERICK, C’94“…Spelman is one phenomenalinstitution …and, as we said in1994, the best only gets better! …I have been asked to speak on the theme of thereunion. Spelman: The Thread That Binds: Spirit,Leadership, Service. What a powerful theme [it is]because it identifies those elements of Spelmanthat make her unique…For generations she hasinspired leadership and service in young womenof African descent around the globe.And so the theme inspires me. And, yet it leavesme wondering. What is the essence of the threadthat binds and, most important, how do we keep itstrong? I would presume that the thread that bindsties us not only to this present generation, but alsoto past generations and future generations…andthis bridge, this tie, is only as strong as the individualswho make up the Spelman community. In otherwords, when we are strong, Spelman is strong. …But, how do we as alumnae of these institutionsand soon-to-be-alumnae, guarantee theirfooting in the days, weeks and years ahead? Howdo we ensure that Spelman is not only here, butalso securely positioned to continue to produceservant leaders? What is our sacrifice? What isrequired of us as present and future alumnae?As we give our time to Spelman, joining localalumnae chapters which recruit promising highschool students, host senior luncheons and mentoryoung Spelman women…And as we give our talents to Spelman – somecoming back to join the faculty and administration,others serving on boards and using their talentsto build Web sites, connect Spelman withcorporate entities and offer consulting advice…We must make sure that some of our greatestassets, our material and financial resources, areequally employed in the process of strengtheningSpelman.Sometimes we say, “I’ll give back once I havemore to give.” But, we miss the logic of compoundedinterest if we delay. The longer we deferour gifts, the more money it will take to make upfor the interest lost. So regardless of how small thegift at this point in your life, the point, however, isstill to give. The office of institutional advancementwill tell you that between the ages of 23 and40 people don’t give because they are buyinghomes, starting families, securing business loans,Marla Frederick, C’94paying back grad school, medical school and lawschool debts, OR our debts to Spelman. But, theseare the crucial years! They are interest-bearingyears, and regardless of whether you give $25/yearor $250/year, money given earlier has a longertime to grow.Secondly, I would be remiss if I did not say thisas a cultural anthropologist and one who studiesAmerican culture at that. We must beware of thegreatest enemy of our giving – American consumerculture. We must be critical consumers andconscious Americans.Juliet Schor, author of a book titled The OverspentAmerican, argues that we as Americans arePhoto: Bud Smithno longer trying to keep up with “The Joneses,”our next-door neighbors.Today, we don’t even know our neighbors anymore.Instead, there is what she calls the “newconsumerism,” where we are engaged in upscalespending to keep up with people who make three,four and 10 times more than what we make – primarilycelebrities and other public figures that arepresent in electronic media. And not only are weadopting clothes and fashion sense from suchmedia icons, but also our sense of what kinds ofhomes, cars and vacations to purchase.We must aggressively guard against falling victimto this American consumer culture. It ismarked by conspicuous consumption (i.e., thepurchase of unnecessary items to meet our ownemotional and status needs) and this pattern challengesour ability to fully invest in the mission thatis Spelman. Conspicuous consumption tears atour commitment.What do I mean by this? I mean, it’s hard tolove Spelman and DSW at the same time. It’s hardto love Spelman and DSW at the same time. It’shard to worship at the throne of Lord and Taylorand pay homage to Spelman simultaneously. ...One Scripture suggests that you cannot love twomasters. Either you will love one and hate theother, but you can’t love both… That’s whatsome would suggest.My father actually put it in very simple termsfor my sisters and me. When we were entering collegeand later going into the work force we experienced,what shall we say, “financial challenges.”… He would say with great fatherly wisdom,“Daughter, if your outflow exceeds your income,then your upkeep will be your downfall.” Ourpropensity to get trapped in this culture leads notonly to our own personal downfall, but also to thedownfall of our beloved institutions.And, so what do we do? What is our solution?… What have we learned from our fore- parents?Surely, they taught us the significance of our owninstitutions… They could see even then what weare losing sight of today:50S P E L M A N M E S S E N G E R

That 35% of all Black lawyers, 50% of all Blackengineers and 65% of all Black physicians aregraduates of HBCUsThat two Black colleges – Fisk University andSpelman College – would send a greater percentageof their graduates on the path to the completionof a doctoral degree than more than 95% ofall predominantly white four-year colleges anduniversitiesThat Xavier University would consistently leadby producing a larger number of Black medicaldoctors than any other university in the countryThat Florida A&M would have one of the leadingbusiness schools, bar none, in the country.Denise Thimes, C’84,Blue Note Theatre 2004.Photo: Bud SmithOur fore-parents knew the stakes. … If theseinstitutions are not maintained, do not remaincompetitive, then we are placing our own futuresand the futures of our communities in danger.Yesterday, I had the wonderful opportunity toparticipate in Spelman’s Women of Color LeadershipConference. An incredible conference! One ofthe panels I attended was on personal philanthropy.The panel was full of women who’ve committedto giving to Spelman and encouragingothers to give, like Ms. Isabella Tobin, C’45, AngelaMiddleton, C’89, and Andrienne Lance Lucas,C’90. These women understood something. In somany words they suggested that. …When we walk into DSW, or Lord & Taylor, orRooms to Go, or Best Buy, or Lowes or our belovedMarshalls, we should already have established ourpriorities. The choice should never come downbetween a pair of shoes and Spelman, a new suit andSpelman, a new car and Spelman, a new bedroomset and Spelman. It’s an unfair comparison. Thechoice for Spelman should be made long before wewalk into the bastions of American consumer culture.We are FIRST philanthropists and secondlyconsumers. Ms. Isabella Tobin said that we ought to“plan for giving like we plan for paying bills.” …Automatic deductions can make our gifts toSpelman consistent and painless. You decide: $5,$10, $20, $100 per month. As a graduate studentmaybe you can only sacrifice $5, but at the end ofthe year, you’ve given $60 and by the time thelogic of compounded interest takes effect, you willhave given more than if you waited until you weresecure in your career and gave a lump sum of$500 or $600. I challenge you to become an automaticdonor to Spelman College. I know that I’mpreaching to the choir. The women gathered heretoday have already given.The choice is yours. The stakes are seriouslyhigh.Between 1976 and 1994, the year we graduated,the number of students attending HBCUsincreased, not decreased, but increased by 26%.William Gray III, former U.S. Congressman andpresident of the UNCF put it this way. He said,“Black colleges are going to be more importantgoing into the 21st century than they were goinginto the 20th century.” …Spelman invests our money well! The leadershipwe demonstrate today will reflect in the generationswe educate tomorrow. I believe theScriptures are true. Where your treasure is, thereyour heart is also. I believe our hearts are here atSpelman! May our service to her and our sacrificefor her continue to fortify this great thread thatbinds each of us to one another! Spelman thyname we praise, standards and honor raise. We’llever faithful be throughout eternity!” •Photo: Bud SmithF A L L 2 0 0 451

R E U N I O N 2 0 0 4 : The Thread That BindsClass of 1939Class of 1954Class of 1944Class of 1959Reunion Photos: Bud SmithClass Photos: By Invitation Only52Class of 1949S P E L M A N M E S S E N G E R

R E U N I O N 2 0 0 4 : The Thread That BindsClass of 1964Class of 1969F A L L 2 0 0 453

R E U N I O N 2 0 0 4 : The Thread That BindsClass of 1974Class of 197954 S P E L M A N M E S S E N G E R

R E U N I O N 2 0 0 4 : The Thread That BindsClass of 1984Class of 1989F A L L 2 0 0 455

R E U N I O N 2 0 0 4 : The Thread That BindsClass of 1994Class of 199956S P E L M A N M E S S E N G E R

In MemoriamHigh School 1923Mary Anna Jamerson MooreGreat aunt of Felecia Ward, C’85, MaryMoore’s career in education spanned over30 years. She taught in schools in Columbus,Georgia, and Tuskegee, Alabama. Shewas active in the Church Women Unitedand the National Education Association.Though an avid bridge player, she also volunteeredat the YMCA, Carver Museum andthe Tuskegee V.A. Medical Center as a“Gray Lady.”Died: August 2, 2004Services: August 9, 2004, at the GreenwoodMissionary Baptist Church, Tuskegee Institute,Alabama1934Ethel Alexander HudsonGrandmother of Melanie Washburn, C’93,Ethel Alexander Hudson was a former educator,social worker and commercial propertyinvestor who lived in Atlanta, Georgia.At the time of her passing, she was 91 yearsof age.Died: April 23, 2004Services: April 30, 2004, at the HinesMemorial Chapel, Atlanta1936Ruth Mae Westmoreland HumeSister of alumna Edwina WestmorelandFord, C’37, Ruth Westmorelandgraduated from Spelman with a degree inEnglish. In 1931, while a senior at AtlantaUniversity Laboratory High School, shebroke the American record for girls in thehigh jump at five feet, 10.5 inches. Shecompeted as a member of the Spelmantrack team in the Tuskegee Relay Carnivalswhere she was a competitor in the tryoutsheld by the American OlympicCommittee to select a team to represent theUnited States at the X Olympiad in LosAngeles. She won first place in the runninghigh jump. Ms. Hume was an elementaryschool educator and an active member ofthe St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, theLinks, Inc. and the Canasta Club. Shechaired the Tuskegee Institute Mother’sMarch – March of Dimes in 1964 and wasa volunteer for the Links-sponsored giftshop. She was the sister of the late Lt. WalterD. Westmoreland, a member of the302nd Fighter Squadron of the TuskegeeAirmen and the niece of the late Walter F.White, former executive secretary of theNAACP.Died: June 9, 2004Services: June 12, 2004, St. Andrew’s EpiscopalChurch in Tuskegee Institute,Alabama1940 (Circa)Vernice Chenault GallimoreUpon graduation from Spelman Collegeand the Atlanta University School of SocialWork, Vernice Gallimore went on to be thefirst African American policewoman toserve with the Milwaukee Police Department.She later became a probation officerwith the Children’s Court until herretirement in 1989 at the age of 70. Insteadof a retirement party, she asked that a contributionbe made to the Northcutt NeighborhoodHouse. Upon her passing, lovegifts were used to establish the VerniceChenault Gallimore Scholarship Foundation.She was active in her church and theVel Phillips YWCA and was a charter memberand chairwoman of the county’sHuman Rights Commission.Died: August 14, 2004Services: August 21, 2004, at the St. MarkA.M.E. Church in Milwaukee, Wisconsin1942Celestine McCord ReevesGrandmother of LaChez McCoy, C2002,Celestine Reeves was a retired librarianfrom the Birmingham City School System.Her service to education spanned almostfour decades. Her passion for books andreading was matched only by her passionfor people.Died: September 5, 2004Services: September 11, 2004, Sixth AvenueBaptist Church, Birmingham, Alabama1944Ruth Virginia King JohnsonMother of alumna Gaile Johnson Mynatt,C’70, the Forsyth, Georgia, native attendedSpelman College after working for theDepartment of Defense at the Pentagon forseveral years. After living in New York, Mrs.Johnson returned to Forsyth where shetaught for 33 years before retiring from theMonroe County School System in 1969.She was a member of the St. James BaptistChurch where she taught Sunday Schooland served as the director of Vacation BibleSchool for many years before moving toEast Point, Georgia. While in East Point,Mrs. Johnson became an avid AtlantaBraves fan and watched every game duringthe season. She received the Apple Award in1994 from Spelman College for her workin the field of education.Died: May 9, 2004Services: May 15, 2004 at the St. JamesBaptist Church, Forsyth, Georgia1960Virginia Joan ClarkMother of alumna Kimberlee Joan Clark,C’90, Virginia Joan Clark was a graduate ofthe Spelman Nursery as well as an artmajor and member of the Glee Club at herbeloved Spelman College. She earned amaster’s degree in social work from FordhamUniversity and then worked at St.Mary’s Hospital in New York, aiding thosesuffering from cancer and other terminalillness. She worked for the State of Georgiafor 23 years in healthcare programs beforeretiring from the Department of HumanResources Division of Aging Services onMay 1, 2003.Died: October 22, 2003Services: October 28, 2003 at the AntiochBaptist Church, Atlanta, Georgia1962Joyce LeConyer Pitts RogersMother of alumna Alysa Story, C’86; sisterof alumna Marian Pitts Coles, C’60.Upon graduation from Spelman Collegewith a degree in chemistry, Joyce Pitts continuedalong an atypical career path. Shecompleted a master’s degree in pharmacyfrom the University of Georgia and laterattended American University in Washington,D.C. After 25 years as a professionalchemist, she returned to Atlanta in 1994.She was active in the First Baptist Churchand in civic and volunteer organizationsincluding Mended Hearts and Newborns inNeed. She loved gardening and genealogy.She was able to compile extensive researchon her family as a result of her efforts.Died: October 16, 2003Services: October 19, 2003 at the First BaptistChurch in Atlanta, Georgia1966Janice Faye Mills NelsonAfter graduation from Spelman College,Janice completed a master’s degree in sciencefrom Emory University. She worked atthe IBM Corporation for several yearsbefore retirement. She led a productive lifein retirement before succumbing to a longillness.Died: March 24, 2003Services: March 27, 2003, Laurel LandMemorial Chapel, Dallas, Texas2001Misty Denise CarterUpon graduation with a degree in psychology,Misty enrolled at Georgia State in thePublic Administration department. Shewas employed by the S.T.E.P.S. Event PlanningCompany. She was interested inhealth and health disparities that led herto enroll as a student at the Rising SpiritInstitute of Natural Health in Atlanta.Misty learned early the Spelman traditionof giving of her time and resources. As arecent graduate she annually participatedin the New Student Orientation Historyand Traditions program as an alumnaefacilitator and also volunteered with otherlocal organizations.Died: September 4, 2004Reunion In Memoriam service 2004.Services: September 10, 2004, at the LewisChapel Missionary Baptist Church inFayetteville, North CarolinaPosthumous recognition of SpelmanalumnaeHigh School ’00Georgia Dwelle RooksSee Take Note!Former Student (Circa 1919)Sarah McClendon Murphy(1892–1954)Personal Achievement: Was inductedposthumously into the Georgia Women ofAchievement, Inc. at the annual ceremonyheld at Wesleyan College in Macon, Georgia.The former First Lady Rosalynn Carterfounded the historic education nonprofitorganization as a way to honor womenwho have made extraordinary contributionsto the citizens of Georgia. “MamaSarah,” as Mrs. Murphy was called, starteda residential school, the Sarah DiviniaMurphy Home, in 1935. After Sarah died in1954, the Home was taken over by theWomen’s Division of the Methodist Churchin 1961 and re-named the Murphy-HarpstChildren’s Centers, Inc. The SavannahTribune denotes her achievements in thearticle, “Sarah McClendon MurphyAmong Georgia Women of AchievementHonorees.”Former Student (Circa 1942)Esther RolleSee Take Note!Photo: Bud SmithF A L L 2 0 0 457

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