Marcy Johnson Joins Jury for the 2014 Lillian Smith Book Awards

The Southern Regional Council (SRC) recently announced that thirty-nine books have been nominated for the Lillian Smith Book Awards for 2014 to be presented in Decatur, Georgia on August 31, 2014.

 

The jury for this year's awards includes Dr. Marcy D. Johnson. A native of Savannah Georgia, has over thirty years of diverse management experience and training with and a strong background in project management, decision support systems, web technologies, web/portal development and online applications; over eleven years of higher education experience; over five years distance learning program/course development; and, proven ability to design and direct complex resource information management programs/technical training programs. She served as the Chief Information Officer and Dean of the Center for Teaching, Learning, and Technology at Bennett College for Women. Prior to going to Bennett College, she served as the CEO/President of Innovative Digital Solutions, Incorporated.  During her illustrious career, she held professional positions with Wang Laboratories, Department of the Army, Hewlett-Packard, and Ford Aerospace Communications.

 

Dr. Johnson received an undergraduate degree in mathematics from the University of Colorado and earned a Master of Science in Education from Indiana University. She received a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in Instructional Technology from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.  Her honors include: PHI KAPPA PHI, ALPHA KAPPA MU, WHO'S WHO IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (2001), and several other WHO'S WHO inclusions.  She served on the Tennessee Performing Arts Center Board of Directors, Urban League of Middle Tennessee Board of Directors (Vice Chairman), and Amun Ra Theatre Advisory Board. She is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Links, Inc., NAACP, and the Charlotte Chapter of the National Smart Set. She was a member of Societas Docta, Inc., and Metropolitan Nashville Chapter of National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Inc.

 

Dr. Johnson is married to the former president of Tennessee State University, Dr. Melvin N. Johnson.  The Johnsons have twin adult daughters, DeAndra Johnson Cullen (husband, Gary Cullen) and Monet Johnson Bloodworth (husband, Dr. Leotis Bloodworth, Jr.) and one adult son, M. Roschaun Johnson (wife, Phyllis C. Johnson).  Drs. Johnson are the proud grandparents of Briana N., Jailyn N., and Lauryn J. Bloodworth; Alaira M. Cullen; and, Schaun C.  and Joshua P. Johnson.

SRC was founded in 1919 to combat racial injustice in the South. SRC initiated the Lillian Smith Book Awards shortly after Smith's death in 1966 to recognize authors whose writing extends the legacy of the outspoken writer, educator and socialcritic who challenged her fellow Southerners and all Americans on issues of social and racial justice. Since 2004 the awards have been presented by SRC in a partnership with the University of Georgia Libraries, whose Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library houses a historic collection of Lillian Smith's letters and manuscripts. The Georgia Center for the Book became a partner in 2007, when the awards ceremony first became part of the Decatur Book Festival.