Willa Beatrice Player
August 9, 1909 – August 29, 2003
Willa Beatrice Player was an American trailblazer in education, college administration, civil rights advocacy, and government service. Her remarkable achievements encompassed becoming the inaugural African-American woman to assume the role of president at a fully accredited four-year liberal arts college. This historic milestone occurred when she took on the presidency of Bennett College in Greensboro, North Carolina. Player’s legacy is characterized by her groundbreaking impact on education and her unwavering commitment to advancing civil rights.
Background and Education:
- Willa Player was born in Jackson, Mississippi, in 1909, and her family later moved to Akron, Ohio, as part of the Great Migration for better opportunities.
- She attended Ohio Wesleyan University, a Methodist institution, where she graduated in 1929, becoming one of three African-American students admitted to the college that year.
- Player earned a master’s degree from Oberlin College in 1930 and furthered her studies at the University of Grenoble in France, receiving a Certificat d’Études in 1935.
Academic Career:
- Willa Player began her teaching career in 1930 at Bennett College in Greensboro, North Carolina, where she taught Latin and French.
- After her postgraduate studies in France, she returned to Bennett College, taking on roles such as Director of Admissions, Acting Dean, and Coordinator of Instruction.
- In 1948, Player earned her Ph.D. from Columbia University.
- She briefly pursued post-doctoral studies at the University of Chicago and the University of Wisconsin.
College Administration and Leadership:
- Player’s leadership at Bennett College included roles as Vice-President and Acting President.
- In 1956, she made history by becoming the first African-American woman to be inaugurated as the president of an accredited, four-year college.
- Under her leadership, Bennett College gained accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) in 1957.
Civil Rights Activism:
- During the civil rights movement, Player supported Bennett College students participating in sit-ins to advocate for the integration of lunch counters.
- She hosted Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. at Bennett College in 1958 when other institutions hesitated due to controversy.
- Player encouraged students to engage in civil rights protests, even visiting them in jail to deliver assignments so they wouldn’t fall behind.
Service and Federal Appointment:
- In 1962, Player was appointed as President of the National Association of Schools and Colleges of the Methodist Church.
- She became the first African American to serve on the board of trustees of Ohio Wesleyan University.
- In 1966, President Lyndon B. Johnson appointed her as the first female Director of the Division of College Support in the United States Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, a role she held until her retirement in 1986.
Professional and Civic Involvement:
- Player served as a Mott Foundation Trustee from 1981 to 1995 and was a trustee emeritus from 1995 to 2003.
- She was a member of various professional and civic organizations, including Kappa Delta Pi, Pi Lambda Theta, National Teachers associations, National Council of Negro Women, and more.
Legacy and Honors:
- Willa Player passed away on August 29, 2003, leaving behind a remarkable legacy in education and civil rights activism.
- An endowed chair at Bennett College was established in her honor.
- Throughout her career, she received several honorary doctorates recognizing her contributions to education and civil rights.
Notable Quotes:
- “The black woman is expected to be a superwoman without acting like one.”
- On the Bennett students’ 1960 protest: “We don’t teach our students what to think. We teach how to think. If I have to give exams in jail, that’s what I’ll do.”
- On her presidency at Bennett College: “All I was thinking was I had a job to do.”