Johnnetta Cole, Ivory Toldson to Keynote HBCUstory Symposium

The organizers of the 2014 HBCUstory Symposium, scheduled Oct. 24 & 25, are excited to announce that Dr. Johnnetta Betsch Cole, director of the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art (NMAfA), and Dr. Ivory A. Toldson, deputy director of the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities will serve as the event’s keynote speakers.

Cole and Toldson will address HBCU presidents, faculty members, students, alumni and supporters at the two-day research and cultural symposium presented by HBCUstory Inc., in partnership with the Association of Public Land-grant Universities (APLU) at its headquarters in downtown Washington D.C. on Oct. 24 & 25, from 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

Cole, who has forged a long and distinguished career as an educator and humanitarian, holds the distinction of serving as the first African-American woman to head Atlanta’s Spelman College and later, she served as president of Bennett College for Women in North Carolina.

“A treasured leader in the HBCU community, (Dr. Cole’s) is an HBCU story that began at the age of 15 when she entered Fisk through the school’s early admissions program,” said symposium convenor Dr. Crystal A. deGregory, executive editor of HBCUstory Inc. “As a preeminent voice of African-American culture and an authority on educational leadership, Dr. Cole’s participation reinforces the importance of the work of HBCUstory and the HBCUstory Symposium.

“Likewise, it is no coincidence that the Washington Post has hailed Dr. Tolson as a leader ‘who could conceivably navigate the path to the White House.’ His participation in the HBCUstory Symposium is a remarkable and invaluable investment in the growth of HBCUstory and in the success of HBCUs throughout the nation.”

So far, the symposium’s organizers have vetted approximately 20 papers from HBCU faculty, staff, researchers and alumni who represent numerous HBCU member institutions. Themed, “Where Do HBCUs Go From Here? Strategic Partnerships + Sustainable Futures,” the symposium’s presentations will span a variety of topics ranging from history, library science and leadership to STEM, sports and millennial philanthropy.

Registration for the two-day event is required. Tickets are available online at hbcustorysymposium.eventbrite.com and includes lunch for both days. Limited on-site registration may be available for $135. A live stream of the symposium also will be available online for guests around the world.

Last year’s inaugural HBCUstory Symposium, presented in partnership with the Nashville Public Library and the Nashville Public Library Foundation, played host to more than 500 presenters and guests from HBCU communities nationwide who gathered in Nashville or watched the live-streamed broadcast.

Sponsorship and advertising opportunities for the symposium are still available. Contact Crystal A. deGregory via email at cadegregory@hbcustory.com for more information.