Author Beverly Daniel Tatum to Explore Race in the Classroom
Beverly Daniel Tatum, clinical psychologist and President Emerita of Spelman College,
will present “Why Are All the Black Kids Still Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?”
as part of the Seaver College W. David Baird Distinguished Lecture Series at Elkins
Auditorium in Malibu on Tuesday, February 6, at 5 PM.
Tatum is widely known for both her expertise on race relations and as a thought leader in higher education. The author of several books including the best-selling Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? and Other Conversations About Race (now in a new 2017 20th anniversary edition) and Can We Talk About Race? and Other Conversations in an Era of School Resegregation (2007), Tatum is a sought-after speaker on the topic of racial identity development, the impact of race in the classroom, strategies for creating inclusive campus environments, and higher education leadership.
Her 13 years as the president of Spelman College (2002 to 2015) were marked by innovation and growth, and her visionary leadership was recognized in 2013 with the Carnegie Academic Leadership Award. In 2005 Tatum was awarded the prestigious Brock International Prize in Education for her innovative leadership in the field. A Fellow of the American Psychological Association, she is the 2014 recipient of the APA Award for Outstanding Lifetime.
Over the course of her career, she has served as a faculty member at the University of California, Santa Barbara, Westfield State University, and Mount Holyoke College. Prior to her 2002 appointment as president of Spelman College, Tatum served as dean and acting president at Mount Holyoke College. In 2017 she was the Mimi and Peter E. Haas Distinguished Visitor at Stanford University.
A civic leader in the Atlanta community, Tatum is engaged in educational initiatives designed to expand educational opportunity for underserved students and their families, as well as to connect communities across lines of difference. She serves on the governing boards of the Westside Future Fund, Achieve Atlanta, and the Woodruff Arts Center. Her national service includes her membership on the boards of Teach for America, Smith College, the Educational Testing Service, and TIAA Charitable.
Tatum holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Wesleyan University, both master’s and doctoral degrees in clinical psychology from the University of Michigan, as well as a master’s degree in religious studies from Hartford Seminary.
For additional information about the lecture, visit the Seaver College website.