Dr. Virginia Lacy Jones: The Blueprint for Relentless Advocacy for Black Librarianship

AISHA JOHNSON, assistant professor and MLS Program Director for the School of Library and Information Sciences at North Carolina Central University, is a revelator of southern library history. She is committed to archival research, the production of minority librarians and archivists for cultural preservation, and redefining the scholar. Johnson stands on a soapbox for unveiling the history of underrepresented communities. Much of her research focuses on the development of literacy in the African American community and philanthropic efforts to develop public libraries in the south. Her advocacy for librarianship and archives is not only conveyed in her research, but also her professional career. She is well versed in archival research, instruction, program administration, assessment and evaluation as well as curriculum development to produce practical professionals. With such a dedication to the field, Dr. Johnson encourages redefining the scholar by introducing primary source research with emphasis on synthesis and encouraging scholar practitioners.