The African American Education Archives and History Program (AAEAHP) will observe Founders Day on Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025, at 11 a.m. at the African American Museum, 3536 Grand Avenue, Dallas. Distinguished educator Dr. Juanita Cleaver Simmons will be the guest speaker.
The AAEAHP was founded in 2002 by local educators and the African American Museum. “The organization’s emphasis is on preserving history so that society can study the lessons learned through the struggles and triumphs of African American educators, students, and the community,” said Dr. Alfred L. Roberts, Sr., president of AAEAHP and one of its founding members.
AAEAHP collects oral histories, and archival materials, sponsors the Educators Hall of Fame recognition ceremony, and provides scholarships to graduating seniors.
The organization recently opened the Sankofa Children’s Center in partnership with Dallas ISD and the African American Museum.
Dr. Simmons is a Senior Diversity Consulting Partner with Atlanta-based Talent Management Consultants, LLC. It serves as Diversity Consultant for the Missouri Juvenile Justice Association’s Stop RED (stop Racial and Ethnic Disparities) Division.
She specializes in training and designs for diversity, equity, climate, workplace civility, and inclusion. She is the former Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Northwest Missouri State University.
Awarded emerita associate professor at the University of Missouri-Columbia, where she served in the Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis division of the College of Education, Dr. Simmons is a former high school teacher and administrator.
Before it became a destination of interest for many, Dr. Simmons was taking her students from Lincoln Humanities and Communications Magnet in Dallas. Instilling pride in her students, they returned sharing their stories in numerous forums.
She earned her Ph.D. in Educational Leadership with a focus on Urban Superintendency and a Master’s in Educational Leadership from the University of Texas-Austin. Her research agenda focuses on race, gender, class, and equity in organizations and institutions.
To learn more about AAEAHP, go to www.aaeahp.org.
