Rarely do memoirs or narratives offer a window into human possibility and a handy guide to attaining the same. Sankofa is the exceptional proof that it can be done. Dr. Johnnetta Cole excavates her rich, extraordinary life; confronts difficult questions about relationships and pain; and exhorts each of us to be brave enough to dare for more. With candor, exquisite prose and the accessible storytelling that makes her America's educator, Dr. Cole gives the nation a timely reminder that we are not done yet, as long as we dream of justice.

An anthropologist, the first Black woman president of Spelman College, and the director of the National Museum of African Art, Johnnetta Cole takes the study of Black history and culture to new heights. She has strengthened American education, advanced American scholarship, and enriched the lives of students of all ages and the future of our Nation.

Drawing from nine decades of life, marked by fullness, challenge, brilliance, and joy, Dr. Cole offers a masterclass in purposeful living. In these pages, she invites us to walk with her as she models what it means to learn continually, lead with compassion, and stay rooted in the values that guide us toward a more just and thriving future.

Beyond any ordinary memoir, Sankofa is a warm loving hug, full of the wisdom and inspiration that Dr. Johnnetta Betsch Cole is known to exemplify. Sankofa is a powerful and deeply reflective work that weaves together personal history, social justice, and leadership lessons drawn from nearly nine decades of purposeful living. The book offers readers not only inspiring stories of resilience and transformation but also practical lessons on confronting injustice, building inclusive communities, and leading with compassion. Cole's unique perspective as an educator, activist, and trailblazer makes this memoir a vital resource for anyone seeking to understand how individual and collective action can shape a more just and equitable future. This book invites readers of all backgrounds to reflect, learn, and carry forward Dr. Cole’s examples of courage, empathy, and hope.

Dr. Johnnetta Betsch Cole’s memoir Sankofa provides a candid portrait of one of the nation’s most distinguished and well-known educators. Her willingness to probe within the context of a carefully crafted feminist history a broad range of issues—- friendship, family, marriage, art, storytelling, institution building—distinguishes her from most of her contemporaries. Sankofa underscores the importance of self-reflection in autobiographical narratives which Cole models for other leaders.

In this inspiring book, Sister President Johnnetta Betsch Cole shares important life lessons through anecdotes that are by turns amusing and poignant, speaking to our personal and professional lives and our roles in the global community. Most striking is Dr. Cole's willingness to confront her own flaws and shortcomings, motivating us to do the same. This compels us to be honest and brave, to love, and to never give up the struggle for a better world.

This brilliant memoir is a gift to the next generation of social justice warriors. Johnnetta Cole is an extraordinary teacher, educational leader, scholar and activist. She is a truth teller whose lessons of a life of learning, reflection and struggle will guide readers through her adventurous life. I loved it!

These are no ordinary times, and this is no ordinary book. It is part memoir, part call to action, and wholly a gift. At 90, Johnnetta Betsch Cole reaches back across a remarkable life to hand us what we need for the journey ahead — not rules, but offerings. Seven lessons, on: the necessity of change, the courageous practice of self-confrontation, the unfinished work of dismantling patriarchy, forging friendships across lines of difference, the possibility of love as a dance of equals, the revolutionary nature of art, and the redemptive power of story. Warm, wise, and deeply encouraging, Sankofa is the comfort of an elder's embrace and the loving message that we never walk this road alone.