Program Directory

 
City Club of Cleveland - Dr. Johnetta B. Cole
City Club of Cleveland
 
 
 
Dr. Johnnetta B. Cole, President emerita of Bennett College for Women, Spelman College, and Emory University, will address the business case for diversity and inclusion in the workplace, schools, government entities, and social service agencies, and reinforce the importance of diversity and inclusion in today's American society despite many current challenges, such as the economy.

Cole completed her undergraduate studies at Oberlin College and earned a master's and Ph.D. from Northwestern University. She made history in 1987 when she became the first African American woman to serve as president of Spelman College. From 2004 to 2006, she was the first person of color to serve as the chair of the Board of United Way of America.

The author of numerous publications, Cole's most recent book is co-authored with Dr. Beverly Guy Sheftall: "Gender Talk: the Struggle for Women's Equality in African-American Communities." Cole is a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the American Anthropological Association. She is on the Editorial Advisory Board of SOULS and The Black Scholar and on the Advisory Committee of America's Promise and The National Museum of African History and Culture.

Cole is the chair of the Board of the National Visionary Project and serves on the boards of Africa University in Zimbabwe, TransAfrica Forum, United Way of America, and Merck & Co., Inc. She is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, The Links, Inc., and the National Council of Negro Women.

In addition to 52 honorary degrees, Cole has received numerous awards, including the TransAfrica Forum Global Public Service Award, Radcliffe Medal, Eleanor Roosevelt Val-Kill Medal, 2001 Alexis de Tocqueville Award for Community Service, The Joseph Prize for Human Rights presented by the Anti-Defamation League, The Uncommon Height Award from the National Council of Negro Women, and the Lenore and George W. Romney Citizen Volunteer Award from the Points of Light Foundation.
September 5, 2008