CONVERSATIONS ABOUT TWO EXTRAORDINARY WOMEN | A Busboys and Poets Books Presentation
Date and Time
Mar 3, 2024 5:00 pm
Location
Columbia
6251 Mango Tree Rd, Columbia, Maryland, 21044
Mar 3, 2024 5:00 pm
Columbia
Dr. Dorothy I Height is recognized as one of the most influential women in the modern civil rights movement. Height began her efforts as a civil rights activist at the age of twenty-five when she joined the National Council of Negro Women. Throughout her life she fought for equal rights for both African Americans and women. During the 1930s she was an activist against lynching and for reforms to the criminal justice system. In 1957, Height was appointed president of the National Council of Negro Women, which she led for 40 years. Height is also credited with being the first person in the movement to view the problems of equality for women and equality for African Americans as a whole, merging issues that had been historically separate. She was the only woman to serve regularly alongside the “Big Six” on major civil rights projects. Although she was not featured as a speaker during the March on Washington in 1963, Height was one of the event’s chief organizers and represented the only women’s organization recognized in the March.
Mary McLeod Bethune used the power of education, political activism, and civil service to achieve racial and gender equality throughout the United States and the world. The first person in her family born free and the first person in her family afforded a formal education, Bethune emerged from abject poverty and oppression of the Reconstruction South to achieve greatness. Upon her move to Daytona Beach, Bethune established the Daytona Literary and Industrial Training Institute for Negro Girl on October 3, 1904 with $1.50, five girls (plus her son), faith in God, confidence in her people, and a belief in herself. In 1923, this school merged with the all-male Cookman Institute of Jacksonville, Florida, and in 1931, the school became accredited by the Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools of the Southern States, with its name officially changed to Bethune-Cookman College, at which time Bethune became the first African American woman to serve as a college president. At the time, it was one of the very few institutions below the Mason-Dixon Line where African Americans could receive something higher than a high school diploma. Now a fully accredited university, the school enrolls over 4,000 students.
Dr. Dorothy I. Height and Mary Mcleod Bethune were civil rights titans of the 20th century, and we are thrilled to be hosting this event focused on these two powerful women and their legacies. Wanda Muir Oliver is joining us on the Busboys stage to share her intimate and captivating collection of short stories and poetry. with Dr. Maya Rockeymoore Cummings, distinguished Presidential Research Fellow at Johns Hopkins University. Copies of Muir Oliver’s books, REALITIES OF LIFE and more, will be available for purchase during and after the event, and Muir Oliver will be signing following the program.
This event is free and open to all. Our program begins at 5:00 pm, and will be followed by an audience Q&A. Copies of REALITIES OF LIFE and more will be available for purchase before and after the event. Please note that this event will not be livestreamed.
We ask that guests RSVP in order to receive direct updates about the event from Busboys and Poets Books
Wanda Muir Oliver is the CEO of her company Realities Of Life. She is a self-published author, life coach, mentor and speaker. she produced a poetry book entitled "Realities of Life," with a foreward by Dr. Dorothy I. Height. A new e-book under the same title, Realities Of Life will be released, March, 2024. Wanda is co-author of several bestselling books, "The Queens Legacy," "Surrender To The Moon," and Wanda's poem, "The Change" is the first featured in the book. Wanda is co-author of a newly released book, "Your Deck Of Success, which speaks of happiness." Another poetry book will be released under Realities Of Life, 2024. Another upcoming co-author book will be shared with motivational speaker, Les Brown, it will be released summer, Atlanta, Georgia 2024.
A art lover at heart, Wanda made her theatrical debut as a cast member for two running's of the play "The Teachers Lounge" a popular play in Baltimore, she also worked behind the scenes as a stage manager and cast member as "Superintendent of Schools." Wanda appeared in "Don't Be Fooled' a cast member as a prostitute. She also appeared in the re-enactment of the first NCNW meeting, portraying Mary Church Terrell, under the tutelage of Dr. Dorothy I. Height. Wanda was an extra in the film documentary "Multitude Of Mercies"(church scene) featuring Malcolm Jamal Warner, shown on BET, International Aids Day, 2005. In addition, Wanda has a love for painting, and drawing abstracts. Wanda's spoken word has graced the stage reading across the country and internationally. She has inspired and mentored youth as well as homeless adults to move their lives forward with transformational change, as a life coach. Wanda's greatest joy is instilling seeing individuals with low self-esteem and prosper with confidence in reaching their goals and what they desire to accomplish in life.
Wanda's involvement with students with teen age pregnancy, emotionally disturbed, mental health, Autism has been recognized working with youth through Special Olympics, Allied Sports and many other services. There are quite a few leadership positions that Wanda has held, she was elected as a Board of Director by Educators within Howard County, Md. In addition, she was elected by Educators to represent them as a Delegate at the NEA/NEA Conventions in various states over the years. Wanda was appointed to serve on the Maryland State Education Association, Special Education Task Force committee, in Annapolis, Maryland for two years.
She also served as an elected delegate to serve as a delegate on the Maryland State Education Association Conventions . Wanda was appointed to serve on the contract negotiations team for HCEA/HCPSS at the BOE, for a three-year period.
A Diamond Life member of Delta Sigma Theta, Inc, Columbia Alumnae, Md., a former member of BAC, Alumnae. At BAC, Wanda served on the Executive Board and chaired Betty Shabazz. Wanda has involved herself with community service and several committees: Education, Physical and Mental Health, International, Arts & Letters and Delta Scholars.
A Life member of the NAACP, Columbia, Maryland. Wanda has served as an Act - So Judge for Columbia, Md., and a National Judge for the Baltimore, and a greeter. She has been a keynote speaker for a Freedom Fund Breakfast, along with performing poetry with the Morgan State University Jazz Band.
Wanda is Life member of NCNW, she is known for her leadership skills, speaking at community leadership forums representing NCNW at the Northwood Enoch Pratt Library, 2002-2004. At NCNW National Headquarters, she and Janice Ferebee provided youth with life skills through the Bethune Recognition program and Social Services, at NCNW headquarters in Washington, DC. Wanda is a graduate of the Dr. Dorothy Height's Leadership training, a Bethune Recognition Achiever and a greeter. She served on The Presidents Roundtable as Secretary and Parliamentarian. Wanda was Dr. Dorothy I. Height appointed Wanda to serve on the 7th Uncommon Height Gala and the Resolutions Commitee at NCNW, and much more. Wanda resides in Howard County, Maryland.
Dr. Maya Rockeymoore Cummings is a distinguished Presidential Research Fellow at Johns Hopkins University, nonresident Senior Fellow at Brookings Metro and the Founder, President, and CEO of Global Policy Solutions, LLC, a social change strategy firm. A researcher, analyst, and government affairs expert, Dr. Rockeymoore Cummings directed the strategy to elevate closing the racial wealth gap at a national policy level, led a multimillion dollar leadership initiative to reverse childhood obesity and promote healthy communities, spearheaded the charge to strengthen and expand Social Security, and was the architect of the first ever study examining the impact of level 5 autonomous vehicle technologies on the U.S. market. Her quotes have appeared in publications such as the Washington Post and New York Times and has appeared on MSNBC, CNN, ABC, Fox News, NPR, and more. Dr. Rockeymoore Cummings currently lives in Baltimore, MD with her dog Andy.
