American Council on Education internship, 1970-1971

This series is comprised primarily of educational entities. This information documents Pierce’s education as well as her career an administrator, educator, and lecturer. Among the institutions are the Berlitz Language Association, Barnard College, Clark Atlanta University, Georgia State University, Morris Brown College, Rutgers University, and School of Dispute Resolution.

Certificates and academic degrees awarded to Pierce are located in Series A: Personal papers, and Series J: Artifacts and oversized materials.

Of particular note in this series are materials related to the Barnard of Soul Sisters (B.O.S.S.), founded at Barnard College in 1968. Black women students at Barnard began to press the college administrators for a more inclusive and relevant education, demanding recruitment programs to increase black enrollment, hiring of Black faculty and administrators, a more relevant curriculum that included African American studies. Among the founding members of B.O.S.S. are now noted writers Thulani Davis and Ntozake Shange (Paulette Williams). The series includes news articles, correspondence and writings documenting the evolution of B.O.S.S. and its members including information on alumni reunions. Of interest is an autographed copy of Ntozake Shange’s first published book of poetry, Phat Mama. See also Series I: Photographs and slides, and Series K: Artifacts and oversized materials.