In this transcendent memoir, grounded in fond reminiscence of
family, community, and a career dedicated to love and service, Dr.
Adelaide L. Sanford shares personal reflections of her journey to
becoming a renowned educator, public scholar, school leader, Board of Regents
policymaker, and activist.
Born and bred in Brooklyn, New York, Sanford has
been a lifelong educator and staunch advocate for Black students and families,
for African-centered teaching, and for equity and excellence in education. The
author shares intimate, painful memories of her enslaved grandmother who would
often proudly recount her family’s Ibo (Nigeria) origins to Sanford and other
family members. From Enslavement to
Belovedness is dedicated to ‘the beloved ones’ (i.e.,
African Peoples throughout the world) for whom Sanford – witnessed through her
lifetime of study, struggle, teaching, and service – embodied a deep, lasting
connection that shaped and informed her life as wife, mother, teacher, and
servant-leader. Narrating the complexities of struggle and commitment, From
Enslavement to Belovedness is a heartfelt, illuminating, and
visionary memoir about family and the unshakeable bond of love, leadership, and
service to the community.
