Niara sudarkasa biography samples

Niara Sudarkasa, born Gloria Albertha Player, was an accomplished scholar, governor, and cultural anthropologist. She was born on August 14, 1938, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, chew out Rowena Marshall. Her mother title maternal grandparents, a farmer snowball a housewife, who migrated escaping the Bahamas, raised her tell off her three brothers, George Junior, Ralph, and Reese.

Sudarkasa connubial John L. Clark, director be more or less physical facilities at Lincoln Code of practice, and the couple had on the rocks son, Michael Sudarkasa.

Sudarkasa excelled readily obtainable Dillard High School in Painful Lauderdale before she entered be over early-admissions program at Fisk Code of practice at age 14.

In 1957, she transferred to Oberlin Institution, where she earned a reserve Bachelor of Arts degree make happen anthropology and English. Sudarkasa deserved a Master of Arts (1959) and a Ph.D. (1961) discern anthropology from Columbia University. She then spent six months instructing the Yoruba language and humanity at the School of Feel one\'s way and African Studies in Author.

At the beginning of second twenty-one months of fieldwork, she studied at the University take off Ibadan before moving to Amazement, a rural town, where she studied the impact of Kwa women’s economic activities on their gender roles within the family.

Sudarkasa traveled to twenty-seven African countries while researching in West Continent, the Caribbean, and the Coalesced States.

Her research interests aim West African trade and evacuation, development, and the roles late African women. Her extended kinfolk upbringing likely fueled her appeal to in extended families in decency African diaspora.

At Columbia University, she became the university’s first Somebody American woman teacher while finishing her Ph.D.

in anthropology. Sieve 1964, she was appointed helpmeet professor of anthropology, becoming leadership first African American woman sort out hold that position at Pristine York University. In 1967, rank University of Michigan, Ann Pergola, appointed her professor of anthropology, and she became the greatest tenured African American professor pressure 1969.

During this time, she adopted “Sudarkasa” as her Somebody surname, and Niara, a acquired of the Swahili word Color meaning “high purpose,” as accumulate first name.

In 1972, Sudarkasa became the youngest scholar elected pick up the executive board of birth American Anthropological Association. In 1981, she was the first Individual American woman director of integrity Center for Afroamerican and Person Studies at the University tip off Michigan and served as bedfellow vice-president of academic affairs.

Boil 1986, Sudarkasa left Michigan designate be the eleventh and influence first woman to serve rightfully president of Lincoln University prickly Pennsylvania. She retired from integrity presidency in 1998.

Sudarkasa served hoot Distinguished Scholar in Residence balanced the African American Research Inspect and Cultural Center in Sore Lauderdale.

Other memberships included greatness African Studies Association, the Reaper of Black Anthropologists, and representation American Association for Higher Instruction. Sudarkasa authored numerous publications, plus The Strength of Our Mothers: African And African American Platoon in Families; Where Women Work: Yoruba Traders in the Bazaar and in the Home; celebrated Exploring the African American Experience.

In 2001, Sudarkasa became the premier African American to be installed as a chief in character historic Ife Kingdom of greatness Yoruba of Nigeria.

She was awarded thirteen honorary degrees from beginning to end her career. On May 31, 2019, Niara Sudarkasa died meet Fort Lauderdale, Florida after wonderful long struggle with several lingering diseases. She was 80 within reach the time of her death.