Dissertation By Olivia Pearl Stokes Text

Jonathan Friesen - Writing Coach

культура чехії w.ukrnoviny.czyou are here: how to do a dissertation key. все объявления продажа разного ykcity.kz dissertation professional technology essays for masters in nursing purchase a dissertation viva computer phd thesis rights over masters thesis covering letter for employment junior achievement essay definition of dissertation proposal. Olivia pearl stokes 1916 2002 was the first african american woman to receive a doctorate in religious education.

As a trailblazer for future generations, she worked to eliminate negative stereotypes of persons of african descent and women of all races. Grounded in her faith and sense of liberation for all who are oppressed, stokes became actively involved in the struggle for justice and human dignity in the united states and abroad. An ordained baptist minister, educator, author, ecumenical leader, and administrator, her primary interests included leadership training and development, education in the african american church, black women and children, african culture, and the educational implications of black liberation theology in the african american church.

growing up, education and teaching

olivia pearl stokes was born in middlesex, north carolina, on january 11, 1916, to william harmon and bessie thomas stokes. The second of four children, she grew up in an affluent african american family, where her father was a landowner and gentleman farmer and her mother was a schoolteacher. Her grandfather donated the land for stokes chapel, a prominent african american baptist church in middlesex that is now a historic landmark. Members of olivia rsquo s family made up the majority of the congregation and served in such leadership roles as ministers, choir directors, deacons, and deaconesses. Amid the restrictions of racism and segregation, stokes chapel was a vibrant fellowship at the heart of the black community it was the location for social events, leadership development, spiritual nurture, freedom movements, and political activities hill, 1991 a. Her early experience in stokes chapel provided an enduring model of christian activism and leadership that would ultimately shape her life and future educational ministry.

Math Website That Does Your Homework for You

A year later 1925 , her mother moved the family to harlem, new york to begin a new life and to ensure the best education for her children. Olivia rsquo s youngest brother was born to this union, increasing the number of children in the household from four to five. Her sister beatrice married an african medical student and moved to sierra leone in 1961. Olivia maintained a close relationship with beatrice, which would further inspire her interest in africa hill, 1991.

In 1925, olivia began elementary school at public school 89, under the leadership of gertrude ayers, an african american woman and principal of the school. In the same year, olivia rsquo s family joined the abyssinian baptist church in harlem. Olivia was particularly proud of the fact that abyssinian baptist church was the first black church in america with a director of religious education who held a master rsquo s degree. Olivia would fondly remember august 8, 1925, as an important day at abyssinian baptist church: ldquo we rsquo ll never forget that date.

Academic Paper Archive

The educational program at abyssinian baptist church gave olivia an opportunity to participate in a comprehensive educational ministry that expanded her horizons through after school programs, bible study, music, art, and drama. She was actively involved in both the church and the ywca during the 1920s and 1930s, when harlem was the social and artistic center of african american culture. Consequently, olivia was exposed not only to the ldquo interracial, intercultural, interreligious sic activity in new york city rdquo hill, 1991, p. Moreover, her leadership abilities were nurtured as she participated in a number of organizations, including the united christian youth movement of north america, the new york city council of churches, the harlem christian youth council, and the new york state christian youth conference hill, 1991. After completing elementary school, olivia attended junior high school 136, where her english teacher, a white woman by the name of miss wright, strongly encouraged her to attend the prestigious hunter college high school. A school for gifted and talented youth, hunter college high school proved to be a stimulating experience for olivia. However, when the family finances changed after the death of her stepfather, she transferred to wadleigh high school without her mother rsquo s knowledge.

Help Writing Personal Statement Job

Subsequent to completing a series of courses in secretarial studies, olivia graduated from wadleigh high school and in 1935 began working for the ywca as the associate director of the information desk hill, 1991. In 1941, olivia began serving as the associate director of the baptist educational center, which provided leadership training for 157 black churches. A primary focus of this training was upon youth development and ldquo women rsquo s work rdquo a. In addition, olivia worked concurrently with the new york state christian youth council and the united christian youth movement. While working full time, olivia attended city college and later new york university.

Essays for Social Studies

A stellar student, she received her bachelor of arts in education in 1947 and her master of arts in religious education in 1948. Her academic success earned olivia a fellowship to columbia university teachers college. This was a groundbreaking achievement, which earned her the distinction of being the first african american woman to receive a doctorate in religious education. Her postdoctoral work included studies in human relations at boston university and a fulbright fellowship to study yoruba culture at the university of ife in nigeria, west africa lundy 1994 hill, 1991 stokes, n.d. Zorbaugh, head of the department at new york university, played a significant role in deepening olivia rsquo s understanding of society as well as the human psyche. Samuel hamilton, a religious educator at new york university, was instrumental in helping olivia shape her philosophy of education. And, her doctoral studies afforded her the opportunity to take classes at both columbia university teachers college and union theological seminary where she worked with noted scholars such as dr.

Olivia rsquo s doctoral dissertation reflected her ongoing commitment to leadership training and development. The dissertation was titled ldquo an evaluation of the leadership training program offered by the baptist educational center, harlem, new york, with recommendations for its improvement. Rdquo it examined the quality of in service training for church leaders participating in the baptist educational center. From this examination, olivia proposed a number of recommendations for improving the training program with particular attention to curriculum design, teaching practices, and faculty and administrative development. She would serve as associate director of the center from 1941 to 1952 hill, 1991 smith amp m. In her dissertation and subsequent writings on leadership training and development, olivia emphasized a holistic approach to religious education that would challenge religious educators to consider the relationships between methodology, theology, and real life concerns. She was mainly interested in developing leaders, teaching strategies, and quality educational programs that would be sensitive to the concerns of individuals within the church and wider community.

Her overall concern was to empower the church and its leadership to ldquo communicate the gospel effectively so that people could build a strong christian community, life, and philosophy rdquo smith amp m. In 1953, olivia became the director of the department of religious education for the massachusetts council of churches. In this capacity, she worked with thirteen denominational executives and their staffs developing and implementing educational programs for a million and a half protestants in the commonwealth of massachusetts. Since white males had generally held this position, olivia was not surprised by the reaction of many within the church.

She recalls, ldquo the presbyterians couldn rsquo t believe that a black woman could have a doctorate and thirteen years rsquo professional experience rdquo hill, 1991, p. Before moving to the national council of churches to serve as associate director of urban education in the department of educational development, olivia was ordained in 1966 through the american baptist churches, usa. Her ordination would further prepare her for the type of ecumenical ministry embodied through the national council of churches. This agenda was reflected in her ordination paper, titled ldquo ecumenical leadership: nurturing and preaching.

Do Kids Need Homework

Rdquo she recalls that her paper created quite a stir, particularly since it was ecumenically rather than denominationally focused a. Through her work at the national council of churches as the associate director of urban education 1966 1973 , olivia was instrumental in organizing religious education directors across the country. Amid the heightened tensions of the civil rights struggle, she also attempted to focus on the concerns of black leaders who felt that the national council of churches should do more to meet their needs and those of their congregations. Additionally, she urged the national council of churches to assist white leaders who felt inadequately equipped to address urban and minority issues. In this role, she saw herself as a catalyst helping leaders from both groups relate to christ and each other from the perspective of their faith and experience.

How to Write An Application Letter 3Rd Grade

While serving as the director of urban education, olivia played a key role in developing the black curriculum resource center hill, 1991 a. Her additional contributions to the national council of churches included leading the educational component of the ecumenical caribbean studies program in 1964 and serving as a consultant to the education and ministry division from 1975 to 1976. Although olivia served briefly as interim pastor of emmanuel baptist church in brooklyn, new york, it was apparent that her primary ministry would be in the area of education. Subsequently, olivia rsquo s educational ministry extended more than forty years.