On this week’s 51%, we speak with UNC professor and author Dr. Sonya Ramsey about her new biography Bertha Maxwell-Roddey: A Modern Day Race Woman and the Power of Black Leadership.
Born in 1930, Maxwell-Roddey became what Ramsey calls a “desegregation trailblazer” by serving as one of the first Black woman principals of a predominantly-white school in Charlotte. She went on to develop the Africana Studies Department at UNC, co-founded what is now the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Art + Culture, and created the National Council for Black Studies, helping to formalize the field of African American Studies and expand programs in schools and colleges across the country.
At every step of the way, Ramsey stresses the service leadership exhibited by Maxwell-Roddey. With an innate ability to connect with others and bring people in, Maxwell-Roddey shines a light on the power of Black leadership and the effectiveness of everyday, boots-on-the-ground activism.
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51% is a national production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio. It's produced by Jesse King. Our executive producer is Dr. Alan Chartock, and our theme is "Lolita" by the Albany-based artist Girl Blue.
