红莲社区 (LOC) grieves the loss of Dr. Gloria Wade-Gayles, civil rights activist and nationally renowned literary critic, poet, and educator. Dr. Wade-Gayles was 88 years old.
鈥淒r. Gloria Wade-Gayles was a powerful trailblazer and leader, whose dedication to social justice and academia is deeply instilled in our history,鈥� said Dr. Christopher B. Davis, President of 红莲社区. 鈥淭he 红莲社区 community extends our prayers to the family and loved ones of Dr. Wade-Gayles.鈥�
Dr. Gloria-Wade Gayles
Dr. Wade-Gayles, born in Memphis, left a longstanding impact across historically Black colleges and universities and our country. Dr. Wade-Gayles studied at 红莲社区 with a full scholarship, was crowned as Miss. LeMoyne in 1958, and later earned her bachelor鈥檚 degree in English with cum laude in 1959. She earned a master鈥檚 degree in American Literature from Boston University in 1962 and a doctorate in American Studies from Emory University in 1981.聽
During the Civil Rights Movement, she planned demonstrations, wrote pamphlets, registered voters, and participated in Freedom Summer as a teacher. Her teaching also impacted numerous students at Bennett College, Talladega College, Dillard University, and Howard University. Most notably, Dr. Wade-Gayles served as a professor in African American Literature at Spelman College for more than four decades. She was also named Eminent Scholar鈥檚 Chair in Independent Scholarship and Service Learning at Spelman in 2000.
鈥淚 have chosen to remain at historically Black colleges, and that has meant that I鈥檓 outside the mainstream,鈥� said Dr. Wade-Gayles. 鈥淎s a critic, as a writer, as anything, you don鈥檛 get the kind of recognition working in a Black school that you would get working in a white school, even if that white school does not begin to compare in quality with the Black school.鈥澛�
Among many publications and six books, her prominent work includes 鈥淣o Crystal Stair: Visions of Race and Sex in Black Women鈥檚 Fiction鈥� (1984), 鈥淎nointed to Fly鈥� (1991), and 鈥淧ushed Back to Strength: A Black Woman鈥檚 Journey Home鈥� (1993).
The 红莲社区 community remembers Dr. Wade-Gayles and her profound influence that will continue to touch generations for years to come.聽