Here we have listed pioneers of research on Black women in higher education, as well scholar-practitioners. The historical presence and activism of these Black women require and call for an exploration into their lives and careers. As we continue to add to this list, comment below with your own suggestions of who belongs on this list.
Anna Julia Copper
Cooper, Anna Julia. 1998. The higher education of women. In C. Lemert & E. Bhan (Eds.) The voice of Anna Julia Cooper: Including A Voice from the South and other important essays, papers, and letters, . New York: Rowman and Littlefield.
For a more on Copper:
Guy-Sheftall, B. (2009). Black feminist studies: The case of anna julia cooper. African American Review, 43(1), 11-15.
May, V. M. (2012). Anna Julia Cooper, visionary black feminist: A critical introduction. New York: Routledge.
Anna Julia Cooper Papers, Howard University
Lucy Diggs Slowe
Slowe, L. D. (1933). Higher education of Negro women. Journal of Negro Education, 352-358.
Slowe, L. D. (1937). A colored girl enters college: What shall she expect.Opportunity: Journal of Negro Life, 15, 276-79.
For a more in-depth exploration of Slowe's life see:
Miller, C. L., & Pruitt-Logan, A. S. (2012). Faithful to the task at hand: The life of Lucy Diggs Slowe. SUNY Press.
Slowe Papers, Howard University
Jeanne L. Noble
Noble, J. L. (1978). Beautiful, also, are the souls of my Black sisters: A history of the Black woman in America. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Noble, Jeanne L. (1956). The Negro woman’s college education. New York: Columbia University Press.
Noble, J.L. (1957). Negro women today and their education. The Journal of Negro Education 26 (1): 15–21.
For a biographical note and information of Noble's papers at Smith College click here!
https://asteria.fivecolleges.edu/findaids/sophiasmith/mnsss531_bioghist.html
Willa Player
Player, W. B. (1948). Improving college education for women at Bennett College (Doctoral dissertation, Teachers College, Columbia University).
Player, W. B. (1992). The Negro college and women's education. In E.L. Ihle (Ed.) Black women in higher education: An anthology of essays, studies, and documents, 364-365. Oxfordshire, UK: Taylor and Francis.
For a more in-depth exploration of Player's life please see:
Brown, L. B. (1998). The long walk: The story of the presidency of Willa B. Player at Bennett College. McCain Printing Company.
Digital Archives at Bennett College
Jacqueline Fleming
Fleming, J. (1985). Blacks in College. A Comparative Study of Students' Success in Black and in White Institutions. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass Inc.
Fleming, J. (1983). Black women in Black and White college environments: The making of a matriarch. Journal of Social Issues, 39(3), 41-54.
Rare video of Fleming discussing her work. She comes in at marker 1:00.
Marion Cuthbert
Cuthbert, M. V. (1936). Juliette Derricotte. New York, N.Y: Women's Press.
Cuthbert, M. V. (1987). Education and marginality: A study of the Negro woman college graduate. New York: Garland.
Cuthbert, M. V. (1936). Democracy and the Negro. New York: Pilgrim Press.
For more information on Cuthbert please see:
Crocco, M. S., & Waite, C. L. (2007). Education and marginality: Race and gender in higher education, 1940–1955. History of Education Quarterly, 47(1), 69-91.
If anyone knows where Cuthbert’s papers are located please let us know.
For a quick biographical sketch of her life and accomplishments please see here.
Constance Carroll
Carroll, C. M. (1982). Three’sa crowd: The dilemma of the black woman in higher education. In G.T. Hull, P.B. Scott, & B. Smith (Eds.), All the women are White, all the Blacks are men, but some of us are brave, 115-128. New York, NY: The Feminist Press at the City University of New York.
For more information on Carroll please see: