Johnnetta Cole is not your typical retired college professor.
Cole travels to remote places such as the Philippines while juggling roles on community boards and organizations, publishing books and speaking to college students.
Cole will be the keynote speaker at Lansing Community College’s Black History Month Keynote Address from 3-5 p.m. Saturday at Dart Auditorium on the LCC campus.
Cole has been an academic force nationwide for nearly four decades. She began her college career at 15, entering Fisk University in Nashville, Tenn., as part of an early admissions program. Cole later earned a master’s degree and a doctorate in anthropology from Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill. She has honorary degrees from 45 colleges and universities, including Yale, Princeton and Columbia.
President Bill Clinton appointed her to the Commission on the Celebration of Women in American History in 1998.
This won’t be Cole’s first visit to LCC.
Cole was responsible for LCC being the first community college in the country to have an articulations agreement with Spelman College, allowing class credits from LCC to transfer to the all-black college in Atlanta, said Brian Jackson, media relations and special events coordinator at the college.
Cole was the first choice by the annual keynote address‘ planning committee, Jackson said.
Cole is president emeritus of Spelman College and professor emeritus of Emory University, where she recently retired as presidential distinguished professor of anthropology, women’s studies and African American studies.
“The pinnacle of my career was being in the presidency at Spelman,” Cole said. “It was the deepest honor to be in that leadership role at an institution that in so many ways reflects how I am and what I care about the most.”
Two textbooks that she has edited, “All American Women” and “Anthropology for the Nineties,” are still used in college classrooms across the country.
“The subject I enjoy teaching the most is the reality of differences,” Cole said. “I enjoy showing that, in a no less compelling way, as human beings we are similar, and have similar experiences. It all comes out of life.”
Cole is looking forward to sharing her beliefs and inspirations in her speech Saturday.
“My speech will be associated with Martin Luther King Jr., who I hold in the highest of respect. The topic of the celebration is empowering minds and engaging our community,” she said. “I hope to speak about the empowerment of intellect and service. In that combination, students can help make the world a little bit better.”
With Cole’s experience and presence, 2002’s keynote address should be a success, Jackson said.
“We’re very excited to have Cole come here,” he said. “This demonstrates our commitment to promote diversity, and exposing our student body and the Lansing community to different ideas while raising awareness about racial and academic issues.”
Cole urges young people to apply the same determination to remaining educated, pursuing goals and becoming involved.
“Do your part as young scholars, but be no less engaging as young activists.” she said. “That is what education is - understanding the world better, and secondly, engaging in helping. If you only do one without the other, you’re not really educated.”
