Celebrating Courage & Charting the Future - Converse College
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Features Celebrating Courage & Charting the Future Commemorating 50 Years of Black Women at Converse Fifty years ago this fall, Freida Rogers Byrd and Margaret Jones Swindler became the first Black students to enroll at Converse College. In celebration of this milestone, we reflect on our heritage and explore the work still ahead of us with a year-long series, Celebrating Courage & Charting the Future: Commemorating 50 Years of Black Women at Converse. The series began last February with a panel of distinguished alumnae sharing their experiences. It continues through the 2018-2019 year with feature stories highlighting individual alumnae. On September 21, we will commemorate the anniversary during Opening Convocation, lunch and an afternoon of special topic discussions. Finally, in the spring of 2019, the series will culminate with an exhibition highlighting Converse’s history of African American students developed by students of Dr. Angela Elder as part of a class research project. 6 Converse | Summer 2018
Last February, nearly 100 Black alumnae returned home to Converse for an
Alumae Panelists (from left to right)
afternoon of fellowship over lunch, a panel discussion with distinguished A Tribute to Our Trailblazers On Choosing Converse
Joy Danielle Stoney ’00 alumnae, and a reception hosted by Converse students.
Attorney and Owner, Stoney Law Firm LLC
Stinson Woodward Ferguson ’07
Seven Black alumnae and Converse’s first Black faculty member gathered
with President Krista Newkirk in front of a packed house in Montgomery We would not be telling this We set out one Saturday to I attended an African
Associate Attorney with Southern Environmental
story today were it not for the visit several schools. When I American high school in
Law Center and Director of Organizational Student Center. They discussed their Converse experiences, creating a courage of our first two got to campus, I stood on Atlanta. I did not go to school
Development for J.W. Woodward Funeral Home
Inc. culture that embraces diversity, how they overcome hurdles in their profes- students, Freida Rogers Byrd back campus and looked at with Caucasians the entire
sional lives, the impact of mentors, and how we can strengthen the network and Margaret Jones my Daddy and said ‘This is time I attended school, from
The Honorable Deadra L. Jefferson ’85
between alumnae and students. Swindler, to come forward where I belong. We don’t kindergarten until 12th
Circuit Judge, South Carolina 9th Judicial Circuit
and share their stories. They need to visit anywhere else.’ grade, so when I arrived at
Phyllis Perrin Harris ’82 blazed a trail at Converse And he looked at me like, ‘My Converse this was like a
Senior Vice President and General Counsel Legal JOIN US TO CELEBRATE that at times, I’m sure, was child with no life experience different universe for me, to
Operations, Walmart Stores Inc.
at Opening Convocation not easy. Their stories are has visited ONE college...,’ be quite candid. Talk about
part of a long history of but I said ‘I know this, trust transforming my mind and
Dr. Kay E. Woodward September 21, 2018 Converse and a variety of me. I feel it – this is where I making me think differently
President, J.W. Woodward Funeral Home Inc.
Converse’s first Black faculty member perspectives and experiences belong.’ I think a lot of people — one of the things I learned
• Procession of Black alumnae by our Black and minority had this experience. at Converse is to be fearless
Candy Moore ’93 • Gospel Choir performance students. and to be confident. I felt like
Senior Vice President, Community Development • Lunch with the Converse I could compete with anyone,
Manager Southeast Region, Wells Fargo community and I did compete with
• Special topic breakout discussions Deadra Jefferson anyone.
Dawn Davis Deck ’99 • Reservations requested President Newkirk
Director of Planned Giving, ETV Endowment of
SC Inc.
Learn more about the 50th Celebration
Dr. Jayne Stewart Reuben ’85 Series and register your participation at Phyllis Harris
Associate Professor, Texas A&M University, www.converse.edu/CelebratingCourage
College of Dentistry
8 Converse | Summer 2018 Converse | Summer 2018 9
Mentorship Experiences and
Advice Pivotal Moments (cont.)
I was Converse’s first black I created a Board of Eleanor Roosevelt said To me the biggest breakdown
faculty member…The Advisors. This is a group of ‘Learn from the mistakes of of the racial barrier was
students who were here in individuals I trust and love… others. You can never live when we came back to school
the early and mid ’70s were who know my character…It long enough to make them in 1980 and… there were
exceptional students. It was a took me years to assemble all yourself.’ It is essential to 21-22 black women in the
two-way mentorship. I felt I my personal board of have a mentor. Someone who incoming class, that’s when I
served as a mentor to advisors, and they help me has already traveled your felt like things had really
students – not only black when I make life decisions road and made the mistakes. changed… In reflection, and
students but all students – about my career or some- As children of the ’60s, our I know the College has
and I feel students helped me thing personal. I think mothers taught us that you changed significantly in this
in my growth process. It was having a mentor and mentee become better from a thing, regard, in many respects
a very exciting time. relationship is so important. not bitter…Even though you perhaps the infrastructure
experience hard things you was not in place because we
know you come out of it for lost quite a few of those
the better. We all need a women… If I could go back in
Kay Woodward Candy Moore confessor who hears without time, there were women that
judgment who can encourage I wish we had helped a bit
us to know that we will more.
overcome the rough patches
of the journey. Nothing in life
worth having is ever going to
be easy.
Phyllis Harris
Deadra Jefferson Creating Unity in Our
Communities
Pivotal Moments When
Barriers Were Broken Converse was a wonderfully I pledged the citywide We shouldn’t campaign so
secure environment in which chapter of Delta Sigma Theta much on social media about
to grow and to become. at Converse with women our grievances. Instead, go to
People always ask me what from Wofford and Limestone individuals and have a
I started in 1996 and that In the 1980s we were still In 1995, when I came to it’s like to be a black judge and USC Spartanburg. Of conversation to confront
was the year that we had 33 seeing some of the last public Converse it was at the time and I say maybe the better course, we don’t have these issues head on. We must
black female students. It was elements of segregation. I when the first female was question is what is it like citywide chapters anymore, intentionally reach beyond
the largest in the College’s remember one of the trying to be accepted into being a female judge, because but at the end of the day it what we know to be comfort-
history…but by the end of students…came to us and The Citadel…In response to being a woman always was about how to have able and learn something
that first year, 15 were gone… said ‘I’m getting married and this challenging time, matters, no matter what connectivity as a family, and different about others who
One of my good friends was I want you to come to my Converse began the South environment you are in. As for me personally it meant a don’t look like us.
from the inner city of Detroit wedding, but you can’t come Carolina Institute of Leader- women, we have to lot to have that experience.
and that was a culture shock to the reception because it is ship for Women (SCIL); a remember the importance of Everything is about culture
to come to Spartanburg, SC… at a whites only country military leadership program complimenting one another, and about feeling accepted.
There were some racial club…I remember us looking for women. (The issue) supporting one another, how
Dawn Deck
tensions that occurred at one another and telling wasn’t about race but it was to push one another - we
during that time, and I think her…“We just don’t feel about women and the rights should always know the
now we’re a lot more comfortable with that.” of women…That stood out to importance of standing on
Phyllis Harris
culturally sensitive. me during my years here. one another’s shoulders.
Jayne Reuben
Joy Stoney Dawn Deck Deadra Jefferson
10 Converse | Summer 2018 Converse | Summer 2018 11
Features
In Closing Reflections After the Event
When I talked to these The turnout for the event
women about their Converse was not purely other women
experience, not all of their of color - not even purely
stories were positive...but other women. The Chamber
they came back and they led President was there.
and they committed President Newkirk’s
themselves to making things husband was there. Trustees
Hopes for Converse’s Future better when it would have were there. Professors were
and for Our Students been easy to walk away. We there. People I served with
are all striving for this on the Alumnae Board were
common vision that you there. Current students were
expressed, and that means there. People of all shades,
My hope for Converse is that I love looking in the audience My hope for Converse is that having the hard ages, and styles were present
it is a thriving institution and seeing that Converse it continues to be a college conversations. and engaged. The energy was
with wonderful women and women do not all look alike, that cares about her fantastic. This is a
is exclusively a women’s sound alike, care about the students. My mother was a community-wide celebration,
college 100 years from now. same things, believe the widow and she passed away not just a celebration for
Being on the Board has same things, or want the my sophomore year. The President Newkirk women of color.
helped me to gain a better same things. My hope is that faculty here took care of me…
appreciation for this college what binds us and distin- Students, you are going to
community and to see what it guishes us is that we share a have adversity and you may
really takes to make this the commitment to excellence not come here under the best Stinson Ferguson
special place that it is. It and we will all be willing to circumstances, but what you
takes all of us having a love speak up when something leave with is what you take
for the College, and it is wrong or inappropriate is with you. Converse will be
wonderful to see so many going on, even when doing so here for you and we want you
women come back. But we is not comfortable. to be here for Converse.
not only have to come back,
we also have to give back.
Stinson Ferguson Jayne Reuben
Phyllis Harris
The one thing I regret is From a faculty perspective, it I ask that we keep the
taking for granted the is my wish for Converse to be momentum going that we
relationships I formed at much more diverse in terms have here today…Converse
Converse, believing they of faculty representation….I molded me and provided my
were going to last forever. encourage Converse to be foundation from a profes-
You have to put forth effort to very intentional about sional perspective…Please
maintain relationships…as diversity of faculty and staff, consider that in your journey
my pastor says, relationships and I encourage quality in being reconnected to
are the currency of Heaven. additions of faculty who are Converse.
Stay in touch with each other diverse.
and support each other. One Converse family had five alumnae members
Candy Moore present for the February event! From left: Patricia
Perry Beason ’79, Wanda McDowell Moore ’91,
Kay Woodward Wilesha Davis Wright ’01, Sandra Beason
Watson ’79, Dawn Davis Deck ’99
Joy Stoney
12 Converse | Summer 2018 Converse | Summer 2018 13
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