Johnnetta Betsch Cole

Johnnetta Betsch was born in Jacksonville, Florida, where her family had long been established a leaders of the Black community. At age 15, Johnnetta Betsch entered Fisk University, through the school’s early admissions program. She completed her undergraduate degree at Oberlin College and went on to earn a Master’s and Ph.D. in anthropology from Northwestern University. Dr. Cole has had a long and distinguished career as an educator and humanitarian. After 20 years of service as a professor at three institutions of higher learning, Cole made history in 1987 by becoming the first African-American woman to serve as president of Spelman College in Atlanta. At her inauguration, as seventh President of Spelman College, Bill Cosby and his wife Camille made a gift of $20 million to the College, the largest single gift from individuals to any historically Black college or university. Dr. Cole then became the 14th president of Bennett College, the only other historically black college for w