Renowned scholar, cultural anthropologist, and Fort Lauderdale native remembered for breaking barriers in academia.
By Westside Gazette Staff
FORT LAUDERDALE, FL — The African American Research Library and Cultural Center (AARLCC), in collaboration with the Friends of AARLCC, will celebrate the life and legacy of one of Fort Lauderdale’s most remarkable trailblazers, Dr. Niara Sudarkasa (1938–2019), during the Second Annual Dr. Niara Sudarkasa Memorial Lecture on Saturday, October 18, 2025, at 4:00 p.m.
The free public event will take place at AARLCC, 2650 Sistrunk Boulevard, and will feature keynote speaker Dr. Roslyn Clark Artis, J.D., Ed.D., President and CEO of Benedict College — the first woman to lead the historic institution. Registration is required.
Sponsors for this year’s lecture include Friends of AARLCC, the Broward County Alumni Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., the North Broward County Alumnae Chapter, and the South Broward Alumnae Chapter.
Born Gloria Albertha Marshall, Dr. Sudarkasa was a Fort Lauderdale prodigy who graduated from Dillard High School at 14 and enrolled at Fisk University at 15. She went on to earn her bachelor’s degree from Oberlin College and became a pioneer in academia — the first African American woman to teach at Columbia University, the first assistant professor of anthropology at New York University, and the first Black faculty member in the University of Michigan’s Department of Anthropology.
Her illustrious career culminated in her historic appointment as the first African American woman to serve as president of Lincoln University in Pennsylvania. A prolific author and visionary thinker, Dr. Sudarkasa’s works, including Where Women Work and The Strength of Our Mothers, continue to shape conversations about culture, gender, and African identity.
Dr. Sudarkasa also shared a lasting bond with AARLCC, serving as the library’s Distinguished Scholar-in-Residence in 2002 and donating her personal archives in 2006, the second-largest manuscript collection housed at the facility.
“Dr. Sudarkasa’s life and work showcase the powerful impact of scholarship, leadership, and service,” said keynote speaker Dr. Roslyn Clark Artis. “Her groundbreaking accomplishments continue to motivate generations of scholars and leaders. It is a privilege to help honor her legacy.”
Dr. Tameka Hobbs, historian and AARLCC library manager, added, “The creation of this annual lecture ensures that Dr. Sudarkasa’s vision, scholarship, and dedication to knowledge will continue to inspire and educate future generations.”
The memorial lecture stands as a powerful reminder that Broward County’s own Dr. Niara Sudarkasa not only made history — she reshaped it.
