Benedict College in Columbia, South Carolina.
women HBCU presidents, including Lesia Crumpton-Young at Texas Southern University, Vernell Bennett- Fairs at LeMoyne-Owen College, Carmen Walters at Tougaloo College, and Ivy Taylor at Rust College, who had much shorter tenures than Simmons’, also saw the end of their stints this year.
Recent additions to the ranks of Black women HBCU presidents include Mary Sias at Texas Southern University, Ruth Ray Jackson at Langston University, Elayne Hayes Anthony at Jackson State University, and Cynthia Robinson Alexander at Savannah State University, all serving in interim presidential appointments. Agenia Walker Clark at Fisk University, Rochelle L. Ford at Dillard University, Valerie Kinloch at Johnson C. Smith University, Cynthia T. Anthony at Lawson State Community College, and Kemba Chambers at H. Councill Trenholm State Community College are first-time presidents at their respective institutions. What then is the future of Black women HBCU presidents? While it remains uncertain, there is one thing that is for sure. The presence and resulting impact of Black women presidents in HBCU culture are undeniably significant. Some may argue that these Black women presidencies will likely face similar outcomes as those before them, but such pessimism should be challenged. And considering the additional obstacles of sexism, misogyny, and misogynoir that Black women face alongside racism and classism, their success is a testament to their resilience and determination despite terrible odds against them. We eagerly wait to see what the future holds for this generation of Black women HBCU presidents. Any success they enjoy, against unfavorable odds, will serve as a testament to their strength and the power of Black girl magic.
Even so, Glover has announced her impending retirement and several other Black women HBCU presidents of her era have seen their tenures come to an end, some seemingly too soon. Carolyn W. Meyers at Jackson State University, Cheryl Davenport Dozier at Savannah State University, Cynthia Jackson-Hammond at Central State University, A. Cherrie Epps at Meharry Medical College, Gwendolyn A. Boyd at Alabama State University, Stacey Franklin Jones at Elizabeth City State University, Elmira Mangum at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, Andrea Lewis Miller at LeMoyne-Owen College, Tashni-Ann Dubroy at Shaw University, and Evelyn Maria Thompson at Coppin State University have all left their presidential posts. The appointment of Ruth Simmons as the president of Prairie View Agricultural & Mechanical University in 2017 brought hope for a renaissance of Black women in HBCU presidencies. Simmons, an alumna of Dillard University, had previously served as the first African- American president of an Ivy League institution, Brown University. During her tenure at Prairie View, she accomplished many notable achievements, including establishing scholarships, founding an African American Studies Program, as well as securing a significant donation for the establishment of Ruth J. Simmons Center for Race and Justice and its Toni Morrison Writing Center. Simmons, however, resigned earlier than expected this past spring after disagreeing with being a president in “name only.” Most recently, other Black
Ensuring Black women enter environments where they are
positioned for success and can flourish as leaders is crucial, especially for the future of our institutions. There is a prime opportunity for HBCUs to serve as an exemplar for other higher education institutions and create more pathways for women to step into these roles—but this requires a conscious and consistent commitment from leadership, including administrations, boards, and search firms. Consider, in only a few instances, a Black woman has succeeded another Black woman as president. Paulette Dillard took over Tashni-Ann Dubroy's former role at Shaw, and Tomikia P. LeGrande succeeded Ruth Simmons at Prairie View A&M University. Yolanda Page succeeded Cynthia Warrick as president of Stillman College while Colette Pierce- Burnette was succeeded by Melva K. Wallace. Meanwhile, Bennett College and Spelman College, the nation's two women's HBCUs, are expectedly led by Black women presidents, Suzanne Elise Walsh and Helene Gayle, respectively. Also notable is the presidency of Christine Johnson McPhail at Saint Augustine's University, who assumed the institution’s headship after the passing of her husband and predecessor, Irving Pressley McPhail.
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