Smitherman, Geneva; educator, linguist, educational reform advocate; born 10 December 1940 in Brownsville, Tennessee, United States; BA (1960) and MA (1962) in English and Latin, Wayne State University, Detroit; PhD in English, University of Michigan (1969); member of the first group of faculty in Harvard University's Afro-American Studies Department (1971); worked at Wayne State University Center for Black Studies (1973-1980); was director of the linguistics program, professor of speech communication, and interim associate dean of liberal arts, Wayne State University; visiting professor at Montclair State College, University of Michigan, Pennsylvania State University, University of Ghana-Legon; director of the African American Language and Literacy Program (1989); director of My Brother's Keeper, Detroit Public Schools' Malcolm X Academy; chair of the Conference on College Composition and Communication (CCCC) Language Policy Committee; member of the National Council of Teachers of English Language Commission (1987)
