Dr. Niara Sudarkasa

Dr. Niara Sudarkasa

The Niara Sudarkasa Collection stands as a reflection of Dr. Sudarkasa’s esteemed leadership, scholarship, and service as the first Black woman to serve as President of Lincoln University. Her tenure marked a transformative period in the university’s history, defined by her visionary commitment to academic excellence, cultural understanding, and the advancement of African and African American studies.

This collection preserves her personal papers, chronicling her years at Lincoln University as well as her broader career as an educator, anthropologist, and advocate for equity in higher education. Comprising thirteen archival boxes of writings, correspondence, research materials, and planning documents. These records offer insight into her strategic vision, her passion for students, and her efforts to strengthen the institution’s global and cultural connections.

We honor and deeply appreciate the foundation Dr. Sudarkasa laid her leadership, dedication, and trailblazing spirit continue to inspire generations of scholars, leaders, and students within the Lincoln University community and beyond.

Dr. Niara Sudarkasa

Dr. Niara Sudarkasa, born on August 14, 1938, was a distinguished scholar, educator, and anthropologist whose groundbreaking achievements made her a trailblazer in academia and African studies. A gifted student, she entered Fisk University at age 15 and later earned her bachelor’s degree from Oberlin College, followed by a Ph.D. in anthropology from Columbia University, where she became the first Black woman to teach. Sudarkasa went on to hold pioneering positions at New York University and the University of Michigan before becoming the first Black woman president of Lincoln University in Pennsylvania in 1986. Her leadership expanded the university’s programs and outreach, and her international work earned her recognition across the African diaspora. Honored with thirteen honorary degrees and nearly 100 awards, she was also the first African American installed as a Chief in the historic Ife Kingdom of the Yoruba people in Nigeria. Sudarkasa remains a respected voice in education and cultural scholarship, leaving a lasting legacy defined by wisdom, knowledge,community, influence and empowerment.