Has not gone up . Has not gone up . We just came through a commencement season. That may say, i do not take the degrees lightly. Been into theng academy and having invited individuals to receive Honorary Degrees, i consider this quite an honor. A privilege, a joy, to be acknowledged for doing work. That is what not Honorary Degree is about. What an Honorary Degree is about. The fact that it can be connected to the young people, to their lives. Could we even assume that it could serve for inspiration for them . What is your approach to the commencement address . A new speech every time . I love commencements. Remember, i am trained as an anthropologist, so i know the importance of ritual and of ceremony. And i cannot think of a more a grander ceremony. However, that commencement speech is the toughest speech to do. Says, you know, my mom is good at speech. I do not like just recycling. But in every commencement situation, you have competing interests. The students basically just want this over. The parents would like it to linger, to assure them that their child has been welleducated. Faculty, they would like some real intellectual stuff going on here. You have competing audiences. And yet, it is a special moment. And it is captured in the word. It is the commencement. New lege beginning of a in the journey of these young folk and sometimes not so young folk. So i love giving those speeches. You have by the director of the museum of african art sense 2009. Why did you take the job . I want to share with you that i did my best not to take the job. I went through the process and i was about to be appointed. I picked up the phone and i called a fellow anthropologist. She is the under secretary im sorry, yes, the under smithsonian. The i said, richard, i am withdrawing. He said what . I said i am withdrawing. From theam suffering penalty of expertise. All of a sudden, despite my passion for african art, i panicked. I am trained as an anthropologist, i am not an art historian, i do not have a phd in art history. I have on two occasions the joy of curating an exhibition. I panicked. Richard, think goodness, said, ok. But before you do that you must call up our secretary. I knew wayne. He had been the president at georgia tech while i was at spelman. Confident that i knew i was going to withdraw, i called him up, and every concerned that i raised, he had a response. I am so grateful to him and to richard, because this has been an absolutely exciting adventure. We have a picture, a photograph of what you say is your favorite use of art. Piece of art. What are we looking at . Know is that i that work of art, that seven , captures what are museum is about. Our museum is about. It was created by an african artist. Captures a work that situates the world in the haitian revolution. And thirdly, it speaks of a human cry for freedom. What are we looking at . A sculptureoking at as he thats up an elderly woman lifts up an elderly woman, and enslaved woman. An enslaved woman. It is saying to us that the worlds people cry for freedom. It is also, artistically, incredibly moving. Ast i think each of us the museum director, i think that each of us in the world of museums, we are constantly message and share artistic beauty. Sheer artistic beauty. Recently there was an african summit in this town. Did the leaders come to the museum . We were very involved in the summit. In a number of ways. The largest event at the museum was that we had a brunch. For first ladies. , wenvited these women identified them on the invitation not as first ladies. We called them african leading women. They came, and while our spaces space is crowded and we were trying to make do with what space we had, i can say it was a moving experience. Because each of these women is in some way involved in an issue that is at the heart of africas development. For many, it was education. For others, health. Engaged ine not just the ceremonies of being the wife of a president. They care about their nations. He care about their people. They care about their people. It was a thrilling experience. We were also be site for visits, some of which were planned and some of which happened at the last minute. We welcomed each. For example, the king of swaziland came to our museum. And our Deputy Director and chief curator was able to give tour that notf only exposed him or presented to him the diversity of our collection, she was also able to say, and here is a work of art from swaziland. We also just would be site for a folk who were moving throughout the city, who perhaps had heard that there is a place called the National Museum of african art. But because i district of orumbia had a heightened a District Of Columbia had a heightened sense of the continent, i am pretty sure that more folks came our way than would have otherwise. If someone is coming to washington, how do they find the museum that you run . If someone comes to washington, and thank goodness, 13 Million People come to washington in a year visit the smithsonian museums. How will they find our museum . Well, we have been talking to the Taxicab Association and trying to say it, now, brothers, when somebody gets in and says, take me to the smithsonian, what are you say, how about african dont you say, how about african art . We know that the museums, research centers, and the national zoo, make the Largest Research and Museum Complex in the world. It cannot be viewed in a day. But we do feel that what happens in our museum is absolutely important. Because it is the only museum that ties any visitor to his or her humanity and ancestry. We have a museum of african art. Colors not matter what you are, what your gender is, what your Sexual Orientation is, your religion, your nationality. And you, likeough every other human being, are connected to the cradle of all of humanity, africa. Here is some video of the museum itself showing the pieces of art. African art, once described as primitive, is now sparking conversations about a people and a culture. Opening a door to a new understanding about the home of humanity. We are the place, the site, the location where conversations take place about africa, about pora, andeath. Dias therefore about the world. How big is the museum . Two small is the only answer too small is the only answer. Is 6000 square feet is too small. But it is also a place where, under the care of the three twotors, of our conservators, are for educators our four educators. When you have a professional group of folks who are so passionate about the power and the beauty of african art, it is simply amazing what they can do with limited space. And remember, once you enter our underground. Est is presenting us, of course, with challenges. But i am deeply proud of the quality of the exhibitions that we have presented. I am really proud of the effectiveness of these educational programs. And yes, i love the way that we are particularly dedicated to reaching out into communities that we have not touched before. Colleagues,be my which are above is a term better than the staff, i describe my staff which i love as a term better than the staff, i describe my colleagues as a small but mighty. I describe the space as the place that we make do. How was that . Born in jacksonville, florida. Fisk university. Graduated from oberlin college. Masters and a phd from northwestern university. Did you really enter Fisk University when you were 15 years old . Yes. How did that happen . It happened because i was dumb. My parents, who were pushy southern black folks who believed in education said to me one day, there is a new program at Fisk University. It is an early entrance program. And we would like you to go downtown, and take a test. If you pass it, you will go to the university. 15 years old, i did not want to go to a university. So i went downtown, and i was so stupid. Testld have not passed the , but i passed the test. And so off i went to fisk , in my year that was my 15th year. It was an extraordinary experience. Fisk, in nashville, tennessee, yes, still in the south. Mecca ofuniversity, a black intellectualism. Africanordinary site of and africanamerican art and culture. It was just a sterling year for me. Until my father passed. Thomas sr. s baby girl, i thought my world had ended. And so my mom and my older sister said, well, why dont you go on an Exchange Program to all berlin. In. Will to oberl you will be near your sister and it will help. I joined my sister at oberlin, she was a dual major in piano and voice. I fell outrageously in love with oberlin college. And i did not return to fisk. But i will say this, i feel extraordinarily fortunate to have had two experiences, the historically black university, and yes, the predominantly small White College the predominantly White College that is a small liberal arts college. Between the two institutions, i got myself a mighty good education. Why anthropology . Why northwestern . Why anthropology . And what is it . That is easy. Study of theis the human condition. But because i am a public intellectual, because i am a certain kind of anthropologist, i have to add that it is the study of the human condition in the interest of both understanding and helping to improve that condition. So, here i am at oberlin college, i know exactly what i will major in. Since i was knee high to a duck, i have said it. You know how folk always as kids, what are you going to be when you grow up . As if a little kid knows. But i knew enough to say, i will be a baby doctor, because i could get a good response. I amre i am at oberlin, absolutely going to be a pediatrician. Until i walked into the george e of professor simpson. Class, ie end of the had said goodbye pediatrics, hello anthropology. Class space of that first , introduction to cultural anthropology, he had so ignited my interest that i made the decision. It is one i have never regretted. Cant every day at work as a cultural anthropologist. Certainly my work at the museum does not allow me to go off and do my Margaret Mead kind of work. Anthropology as a pair of eyeglasses, a pair of lenses through which you see the human condition, the world, the worlds people. I wear those lenses still. Anthropology is incredibly useful to me, the only professionally, but in terms of my own life. Lot of we do not have a time, even though we have an hour, so i will ask you to do this quickly. Here is word association. I will go through where you have taught, and i want you to just give us a tiny little snapshot of what you remember. But start with ucla. Lets start with ucla. Ucla, major university. A place where it was impossible place thatugh, but a taught me a lot. How old were you . I was in my mid20s. One of my very first appointments as a professor. Washington state university. Ah, Washington State university. The 1960s. An era of great turmoil in Higher Education and american life. And i, one of the few africanamerican professors, in cahoots with students, as we helped to create one of the first lack studies programs black studies programs in our country. A place were i not only taught and learned with my students, but we went to jail together as well. It was the era of the Civil Rights Movement and the movement against the war in vietnam. What did you go to jail for . Where we were not to be welcomed to sit in. But to say to Washington State university, you cannot claim to educate anyone well when it is not a university that honors diversity. Diversity among its students, its faculty, and in its curriculum. University of massachusetts amherst. University of massachusetts at amherst. A part of what is called the five college system. A place of extraordinary intellectual activity. , professor ofs anthropology. Duboisor in the w. E. B. Department of african studies. And associated with women studies. It was the time when i was with my late husband, raising three sons. And hopefully helping to raise the intellectual curiosity of my students. Are you talking about robert cole . The reason i ask you that is because he was a white man from and i offering family from an iowa farming family. You ast did you mentioned in it northwestern, what impacted that have, having interracial marriage . The 60s, that had its particular challenges. Because remember, and the 1960s in our own country, we were often captured by saying that this is the civil rights but we also talked about the superiority of black power. So what was a time when, for many africanamericans, there was resistance to an interracial marriage just as there was on the part of many white americans. It was not easy. There were many, many, many experiences that said to me that folk could so easily hate. But it was also an experience that allowed me, as an andcanamerican woman, too, a sense, live by culturally. Urally, to live in my own experiences but to also share in the experiences of my husband. Hunter college in new york city. Hunter college. Was miss shalala there . The only reason i went to Hunter College was because one of my mentors, dr. Donna, invited me there as the first visiting professor. Russell sage visiting professor in the social sciences. How did you know her . Sometimes you just have to know somebody. Salidaot to know donna from another mentor. I consider these two women the book ends for mentoring me. , president ugh marion of the childrens defense fund, that i got to meet donna salida. Women thatthose two insisted that i had no choice but to apply for the presidency of spelman college. WasHunter College was it an incredibly exciting intellectual experience for me. Being at a school in the middle of new york city, is go with a tradition of educating immigrant welcomedschool that the women and men of new york city. Where, in my view, anthropology could be a living experience my students. But it was also the place where i became even more committed to women studies is a mean of a means of as explaining an understanding that only the expenses of women but the experiences of women and men. Usiscipline that could help to not only understand gender but to struggle more effectively against gender inequality. In 1987, you become president of spelman college. Spelman stands for what . Who is it named after. Forpelman college is named the spelman family, connected to the rockefeller family. This, theman, i love chapter is called sisters chuck wi chapel. Africanamerican women will often refer to each other a sister. As sister. It is named for the spelman sisters, you see and Laura Spelman lucy and Laura Spelman. It is an institution that has been profoundly blessed, so fortunate to have been the recipient of americas family philanthropy. It would not have existed without the rockefellers. Without not have soared because bees the cosbys how did you get the money from bill and Camille Cosby . I would love to tell a lie know, ithat, you engaged in all of the steps of fundraising. Cultivation,arch, blah blah blah. And then finally, the big ask. I administer him and him in only a few months when a call came in had been at spelman for only a few months when a call came in. On the other end was a famous voice, dr. Bill as i called him. Well i will not take you through each step of that conversation, there was a moment where dr. Bill cosby said, camille and i were wondering, do you think you could use 20 million at spelman . I could not imagine that figure. Saying dr. Bill, are you 2 million . He said, cant you hear . Million i said 20 million. In my inauguration as the president of that historically women, dr. Ge for cosby announced the biggest gift at any africanamerican family or individual had ever given. Why did you do it . Why did they do it . They have been asked that question. I will repeat the answers that they give. Because they believe in education, and because they believe in the importance of educating women. Because they believe that those important processes would happen while at spelman. Cosby on the board now . Dr. Camille cosby is a member of the National Advisory board of the smithsonian National Museum of african are. Art. When you think back to your 10 years at spelman college, what is the first moment that you remember, other than the 20 million gift . When you think back through those years, what is the moment that you remember . Remember, i have to collapse as moments. Young, of looking at africanamerican women. Promise,knowing of the of the possibilities. We did our work well, they could change the world. They could change the world. Hard tos really describe the sense of honor. I talk with dr. Beverly, who i think has just been a sterling leader at spelman. She describes the same experience. Realizing the power of education. Instruct, ano individual. To soar to the height of her possibilities. And i cannot resist an african saying. Man, you educate a educate a man. When you educate a woman, you educate a nation. Of spelman power college, that all womens colleges, that all colleges and universities in any educational system, have. It is the power to educate a nation through women. Why is it that when you educate a man you educate a man and when you educated wom educate a woman you educate a nation . What is the difference . The difference is what women do. Here is an interesting problem. Are thel over the world primary socializers of the next generation. Those of us who work for gender equity would like men to participate in the war in this process. A little more in this process. But until we have that happen, thes we as women who are b greatest influence on that next generation. It is also the case in my own country and yours, that early happens more often by women than by men. And so when we educate girls and have anhey then unusually powerful role in educating the next generation. But Something Else happens. Lets look at a cotton that like africa, where girls and women continent like africa. When girls and women are educated, it means that they will think a little more about family planning. It means that they will understand more the centrality foodsan water and certain for not only their health, but the health of their family. Possibility, at least, that they will be more active in