For Black History Month 2023, Anthony James, Ed.D., director of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging at the UNC School of Education and UNC School of Information and Library Science, hosts the panel discussion “The Political Landscape of Black Oppression in Education.”
The event will focus on navigating the political landscape of Black oppression and its impact on future generations, paying particular attention to Florida’s recent ban on teaching Advanced Placement African American Studies courses, as well as demands for the removal of DEI content from college campuses and K-12 classrooms.
Panelists include:
Ann Shillingford, Ph.D., moderator
Owner, UnCage Coaching & Consulting
Ann Shillingford is a mother, wife, daughter, sister, counselor, educator, advocate, and so much more. She was born and raised on the beautiful Caribbean Island of Dominica (not to be mistaken for the Dominican Republic). With over 20 years of experience as a counselor and counselor educator, she believes in holistic wellness and aims to support disadvantaged populations through research, public engagement, and consultation.
Courtney Howard, Ph.D.
Chief Diversity Officer
Educator. Administrator. Advocate. For over 20 years, Courtney Howard has worked in higher education, serving three institutions. She has promoted high-impact experiences for underrepresented students, including STEM-focused after-school and summer programs for youth and undergraduate research for pre-service teachers. With degrees from Florida A&M University and the University of Florida, she is committed to helping higher education institutions become more diverse, equitable, and inclusive places to learn, work, and grow.
William Sturkey, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of History
William Sturkey is an historian of the post-1865 United States who specializes in the history of race in the American South. Most of his research centers the experiences of working-class racial minorities. He teaches courses on modern American History, Southern History, the Civil Rights Movement, and the history of America in the 1960s. He has written two books, “To Write in the Light of Freedom” and “Hattiesburg: An American City in Black and White.” He is currently writing his third book, a biography of the legendary Vietnam War hero Master Sergeant Roy Benavidez.
Shannon Eaves, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of African American History
Shannon C. Eaves earned her Ph.D. in U.S. History from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She has held postdoctoral research fellowships from the American Association of University Women and Rutgers University. She specializes in slavery and gender in the antebellum American South. She is finalizing her book, “Sexual Violence and American Slavery: The Making of a Rape Culture in the Antebellum South,” which will be published by UNC Press.
Teresa Turner, Ed.D.
Owner, The School Doc
Teresa N. Turner earned her Ed.D. in Educational Leadership, with a research focus on Critical Race Theory and Social Justice Leadership, from UNC-Chapel Hill. She currently works as a project manager for two $15 million dollars federal grants, supervises seven magnet schools, and sits on a national policy committee with Magnet Schools of America. She also runs her own educational consultancy, The School Doc, where she guides schools and districts around the work of leading for equity, social justice, and increasing student achievement for all children, especially our Brown and Black students.
About the host and moderator Anthony James, Ed.D.
Anthony James received his doctorate in curriculum and instruction from the University of South Carolina. He is the inaugural director of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging for the School of Education and School of Information and Library Science.