Fernandina Beach Library Branch
Press Release
Submitted by Janet Loveless
February 10, 2021
Dr. Johnetta Cole will be the guest speaker for the Nassau County Public Library System’s Black History Month’s virtual program on Thursday, February 18 from 6-8 pm. Dr. Cole is a distinguished educator and museum professional; noted author and speaker on issues of diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion; and a committed advocate for social justice. She currently serves as the Chair and Seventh President of the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW), an advocacy organization with more that 2 million members, working in the interest of women’s rights and civil rights and as Special Council on Strategic Initiatives at the Baltimore Museum of Art.
Dr. Cole rose to national prominence as the first African American woman President of Spelman College and, later, as President of Bennett College, making her the only person to serve as president of both historically Black colleges for women in the United States. Over the course of her career, she has held teaching and administrative positions in anthropology, women’s studies, and African American studies at several major colleges and universities.
After retiring from academia, Dr. Cole served as the Director of the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art for eight years. Dr. Cole has a long history of community service and was the first African American to serve as the Chair of the Board of United Way of America.
This county wide program is sponsored by the Friends of the Fernandina Beach Library, The Association for the Study and Preservation of African American History in Nassau County and the Nassau County Public Library System.
To join the Feb. 18th program visit the Library website at www.nassaureads.com and click on the link. For more information, please call the library at 530-6500 and select any library branch extension.