African American Education Archives and History Program News

Congratulations to Our New President and President Emeritus!

Roberts passes the baton as Butler prepares to take the helm of the AAEAHP

After serving as President of the African American Education Archives and History Program (AAEAHP) since it was founded in 2002, Dr. Alfred L. Roberts Sr. is stepping down and passing the leadership of the 23-year-old organization to Lincoln Butler Sr., formerly 1st Vice President. Roberts was at the forefront of the inception of the organization having facilitated its development with Dr. Harry Robinson Jr., Dr. Jesse Jai McNeil Jr., and other educators. Dr. Andrea Hilburn will step up to become 1st Vice President and Verna Mitchell will serve as 2nd Vice President. Other executive board members are Carolyn Thompson, Cassandra Black, Gwendolyn J. Brantley, Loretta Simon, Melvin Traylor, Dr. Robbie Pipkin, Eugene Young III, Patricia Ward and Dr. Thalia Matherson.

Roberts has dedicated a lifetime to education serving in various roles in the Dallas Independent School District as a teacher, principal and in central administration. Following his service in the Dallas ISD, Roberts served as Chair of the Division of Education at Paul Quinn College where he was later named Professor Emeritus. He also taught in Prairie View A&M University’s Graduate Extension Program in Dallas. He has served in many civic and professional roles including as a leader of the National Alliance of Black School Educators where he served as the national president.

Butler is a retired principal and independent consultant. He is a published author of “My Journey” which shares his life story with candor, laughter and wisdom. He was inducted into the AAEAHP Hall of Fame in the Class of 2012. He is recipient of numerous awards and recognitions including Dallas ISD Principal of the Year for Area 5 and was recognized by the Dallas Foundation for several years for School Improvement Performance.

Under Roberts leadership the organization has experienced significant growth in carrying out its mission of raising awareness of the African American educational experience in Dallas County. He oversaw:

The collection of 34 video interviews with civil rights icons in the Dallas area
61 collections for the archives housed at the African American Museum
Inauguration of the highly successful Educators’ Hall of Fame which has honored and inducted 193 members since 2004.
Partnership with the Credit Union of Texas as Honorary Chair for the 2025 Educators’ Hall of Fame and collaborating on a digital exhibit for the Hall of Fame
The scholarship program developed in 2015 was named in his honor and has awarded $90,000 to graduating seniors and college students who are majoring in education.
The development of the Sankofa Children’s Center that is housed at the African American Museum in partnership with the Museum and the Dallas Independent School District. Opening in the Fall of 2023 this center provides hands on living history for infusing African American history and culture for students in PreK-3rd Grade.
The TEACH Project, an initiative to encourage students to become educators which provides students with information about education as a profession. This project is currently in the DeSoto ISD coordinated by Rachel Bolden and AAEAHP member Rai Cole Malone.

Announcing the Hall of Fame Class of 2026

We are pleased to announce the upcoming induction of the Hall of Fame Class of 2026. This distinguished group will be formally honored at a special luncheon on April 11, 2026, at the Renaissance Dallas Hotel.

Hall of Fame Class of 2026 Inductees are:

Michelle Briscoe
Rev. A.W. Brown
Ned Green
Wanda Huckaby
Dr. Maude Small
Ethel Snowden
Candace Wicks
Marian A. Willard
LaRon Wilson
Dr. George Woodrow

Trailblazer

Emma Rodgers

Presidential Award Recipients

The Honorable Helen Giddings
The Honorable Eddie Bernice Johnson

North Texas Giving Day

Mark your calendar for #NorthTexasGivingDay on September 18!

We invite you to support our mission at the African American Education Archives and History Program. In partnership with local educators and the African American Museum, we work to preserve the rich history of African American educational experiences in Dallas County through the collection of artifacts, documents, and images.

Click here to donate: https://www.northtexasgivingday.org/organization/African-American-Education-Archives-And-History-Program

An Appeal to Support the Dr. Alfred L Roberts Sr. Scholarship Fund

Each year, the Alfred L. Roberts Sr. Scholarship Fund stands as a beacon of hope and opportunity for graduating high school seniors and college students with a calling to shape the future through education. This scholarship fund is dedicated to recognizing and supporting aspiring educators—those who devote themselves to the vital work of teaching, guiding, and inspiring the leaders of tomorrow. Students may submit their applications online at www.aaeahp.org. The deadline to apply is January 27, 2026.

Charles Fisher honored with naming of Pinkston Administrative Offices

The L. G. Pinkston High School of the Dallas Independent School District, has announced a significant honor for Charles L. Fisher—its Administrative Offices will now bear his name, officially recognized as the “Charles L. Fisher Administrative Offices.” This tribute serves to reflect and commemorate Fisher’s lasting impact on education, his profound leadership, and his dedication to serving students and the community. Fisher created champions both on the gridiron and in the classroom in a career comprising almost four decades.

The Marshall, TX, native attended Prairie View A&M University on an athletic scholarship. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in 1961. Following a tour of duty in the military, he began teaching and coaching hundreds of students at a series of schools throughout Texas and the Dallas ISD. He received many awards and accolades including his induction into the Texas Black Sports Hall of Fame and the Prairie View A&M Sports Hall of Fame. He was inducted into the AAEAHP Educators’ Hall of Fame in 2012.

Michele Anderson Awarded Doctor of Humane Letters by Ottawa University

On May 3, 2025, Ottawa University in Kansas bestowed its prestigious Doctor of Humane Letters degree upon Michele Anderson, recognizing her outstanding leadership and profound service in education and the broader community. Michele Anderson was invited to serve as the commencement speaker for Ottawa University’s 2025 graduation ceremony, inspiring the graduating class with her reflections on leadership, service, and the transformative power of education. Her address drew from her extensive experience as an educator, and leader in both academic, church and community spheres.

Exceptional Service in Education and the Community

The conferral of the degree specifically recognized her:

Outstanding leadership in the field of education, with a special emphasis on Christian education.
Dedication to community service and uplifting organizations at local, state, and national levels.
Active involvement with distinguished organizations, including the AAEAHP, and the Texas Association of Black Professionals in Higher Education, where she has championed equity and excellence in academia.
Steadfast guidance as President of Head Start of Greater Dallas, serving from April 2023 through April 2025, where her leadership helped advance early childhood development and family support programs for the region’s most vulnerable populations.

Dr. Jennifer Wimbish celebrates latest book at book signing event

As a part of the release of the second edition of her book, “Leadership Wisdom for All Generations,” Dr. Wimbish had a book signing recently at the Pan African Connection Bookstore. The second edition—revised within the turbulence of adversities such as the COVID pandemic, the death of George Floyd, the assaults on the capitol, and the prevalence of mass murders---presents a framework for leadership direction. Wimbish says one of the highlights of the book signing was meeting a 7-year-old who shared that she is writing a book titled “What is Life.”

Through a faith-based worldview, Dr. Wimbish shares her personal journey from childhood in the segregated South, to her presidency at a diverse community college, and into retirement. Presented are pragmatic and straightforward tips, and sources for further reading ranging from theological texts to cutting edge scholarship in the field of leadership. Parents, teens, and leaders in different roles across all generations may explore models from those practicing in the field that force them to evaluate their leadership belief systems and strategies.

Books available for purchase on Amazon at tinyurl.com/leadershipwisdom.

2011 Hall of Famer

Dr. Roscoe C. Smith

An African American Education Archives and History Program Hall of Fame recipient (2011), Dr. Roscoe C. Smith was born in Hope, Arkansas. He began his teaching career in his hometown in 1958 and later joined the Dallas Independent School District (DISD) as a classroom teacher before his recruitment to the district’s leadership team in 1968. Dr. Smith would eventually be named chief of DISD’s Title I Program. Under his leadership, the program became a national model for its emphasis on parent and community involvement and the positive impact of that involvement on student achievement. Former superintendent Dr. Nolan Estes credited Dr. Smith with more than quadrupling the amount of federal funding awarded to DISD because of his innovative practices. In 1998, as the capstone of a stellar career, U.S. Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson appointed Dr. Smith liaison for all schools in District 30. Upon his retirement in 2005, she awarded the lifetime educator a Special Congressional Recognition for outstanding and invaluable service to the community. Dr. Smith earned a bachelor’s degree from Bishop College in Marshall, Texas; a master’s degree at the University of North Texas in Denton, TX; and his doctorate from the University of Minnesota @Minneapolis, MN.

Learn more about us at aaeahp.org