Dr. Janice E. Hale, went to be with the Lord on Thursday, September 14, 2017 in Farmington Hills, Michigan. She was born in Fort Wayne, Indiana, grew up in Columbus, Ohio and graduated from Columbus East High school, Class of 1966.

 

Janice received a B.A. degree from Spelman College in sociology and elementary education, a Masters of Religious Education degree from the Interdenominational Theological Center, and a PhD. From Georgia State University in early education.

 

Dr. Hale taught at Clark College, University of California (San Diego), Jackson State University, Cleveland State University, Yale University, and most recently, Wayne State University (Detroit, Michigan where she was also Founding Director of the Institute for the Study of the African American Child (ISAAC), a civil rights organization designed to close the achievement gap that affects African American children.

 

Dr. Hale has served as a speaker and consultant to numerous colleges, professional organizations and early childhood education programs across the United States and Jamaica. She also served as a consultant to the Children's Television Workshop programs Sesame Street and Mister Roger's Neighborhood.

 

Dr. Hale has written numerous articles in her field and has written three books. Her first book, Black Children: Their Roots, Culture, and Learning Styles, appeared in the fall of 1982 and issued in a revised edition by The Johns Hopkins University Press in 1986. Her second book, Unbank the Fire: Visions for the Education of African American Children, was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize. Dr. Hale's third book, Learning While Black: Creating Educational Excellence for African American Children, was released in the Winter of 2001 and also nominated for a Pulitzer Prize.

 

Dr. Hale has been the recipient of numerous honors, including Distinguished Alumna of the School of Education at Georgia State University (1982), Spelman College Alumna Achievement Award (2007), and Spelman College Blue Diamond Award (2008). She was also recognized as one of 50 future leaders in Ebony Magazine's August 1978 issue on the New Generation as well as for her outstanding contributions to education by the Detroit Chapter of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women (1994).

 

Her proudest accomplishment was that of raising her son as a single parent. Her son, Keith A. Benson, Jr. graduated from Oakland University (Rochester, Michigan) in May 2010, majoring in pre-architecture and environmental science. He was the first from Oakland to be drafted in to the NBA (2011) and the third to have his jersey retired.

 

Janice is preceded in death by her parents, Dr. Phale D. Hale and Cleo Ingram Hale. She is survived by son, Keith Anderson Benson; sister Marna A. Hale of Cleveland, Ohio; brother Hilton I. Hale, Columbus, Ohio; nephews Richard W. Pace (Marissa) of Atlanta, Georgia and Dr. Phillip Howard of Boston, Massachusetts; niece Donielle Howard of New York City; great nephew and niece Richmond and Alissa Pace of Atlanta, Georgia; along with many other cousins, relatives and friends.

 

The Service of Memory will be held Saturday, September 30, 2017 at The Hartford Memorial Baptist Church, 18900 James Couzens, Detroit, Michigan 48325 with viewing at 10:00 a.m. and service at 11:00 a.m