FIRESIDE CHAT
In 2019, George T. French Jr. became the fifth president of Clark Atlanta University, the largest United Negro College Fund (UNCF) member institution in the country and the largest private HBCU within the state of Georgia. He is a three- term board member for the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools’ Commission on Colleges; Chair of the Atlanta University Center Council of Presidents; and chair of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association Council of Presidents and member of the Metro Atlanta Chamber Board of Directors.President French holds degrees from the University of Louisville, Miles Law School (JD), and Jackson State University (PhD). Dr. Rev. Gerald Durley, currently the Pastor Emeritus of Providence Missionary Baptist Church, is a renowned civil and human rights activist and is intensely involved in the climate change, global warming, and environmental justice movement. Rev. Dr. Durley now combines the disciplines of faith and science with the lessons learned as a civil/human rights advocate from the 1960’s. He asserts that the educational, scientific, business, political, and faith communities must seek common solutions for the environment to be saved. Rev. Dr. Durley holds a master’s degree in Community Mental Health from Northern Illinois University, a master of Divinity Degree from Howard University, and a Doctorate in Urban Education and Psychology from the University of Massachusetts. Shirley Franklin was elected and served two terms as Mayor of Atlanta from 2002 to 2009. She was the first African-American woman to serve as Mayor of a major southern city, and under her leadership Atlanta experienced unprecedented growth. During her eight years as Mayor, Franklin led the effort for the Atlanta BeltLine project and invested over $6 billion in improvements to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Atlanta city parks, affordable housing, and water infrastructure projects. Franklin earned her Bachelor Degree in sociology from Howard University and a Master’s Degree in sociology from the University of Pennsylvania.
Mayor Shirley Franklin 58th Mayor of the City of Atlanta
Rev. Dr. Gerald Durley Interfaith Community Initiatives
President George T. French, PhD Clark Atlanta University
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