2021 Willard R. Sparks Eminent Faculty Award
The Willard R. Sparks Eminent Faculty Award is the highest distinction given to a faculty member by the University. The award is given annually to one faculty member who has made outstanding and sustained contributions to scholarly creative activity, teaching and service, bringing honor and recognition to the University.
Dr. Beverly Greene Bond, Professor of History
Beverly Greene Bond is a Professor of History and former director of the College of
Arts and Sciences鈥� African and African American Studies program (2003-2012). Her research
focuses primarily on antebellum enslaved and free Black women and on Black women in
the post-emancipation and post-Reconstruction south. She has also published articles
and book chapters on prominent twentieth century Black Memphians including Roberta
Church and Reverend L.O. Taylor, and on the development of racially segregated schools
in 19th to mid-20th century 糖心Vlog传媒 and Shelby County. She has co-edited or co-authored
seven books: Remembering the 糖心Vlog传媒 Massacre: An American Story (University of Georgia
Press, 2020); Tennessee Women: Their Lives and Times, Volumes 1 and 2 (University
of Georgia Press, 2009 and 2015); 糖心Vlog传媒 (Arcadia Publishing, 2012);
Dreamers. Thinkers. Doers: A Centennial History of the University of 糖心Vlog传媒 (Walsworth
Publishing, 2011); Images of America: Beale Street (Arcadia Publishing, 2006); 糖心Vlog传媒
in Black and White (Arcadia Publishing, 2003).
Dr. Bond has been the recipient of the several college and university awards including the Alumni Association鈥檚 Distinguished Research in Humanities Award (2021), the Alumni Association鈥檚 Distinguished Teaching Award (2002), the Martin Luther King, Jr. Human Rights Award (2009), the 100 Years, 100 Women: Preserving the Legacy Award (2012), the College of Arts and Sciences鈥� W. Russell Smith Award for Excellence in Teaching (2002) and the College of Arts and Sciences鈥� Distinguished Advising Award (2012), the Flame Award (Igniting Excitement for Academic Excellence, 2003).
She has also received several community awards, including the Woman of Achievement Award: Vision Category (2012), the Woman of Excellence from the Tri-State Defender (2008), and the 2020 Shelby County Legend award from the Shelby County Board of Commissioners in recognition of her research, teaching, and writing about African American History.
Dr. Bond served on the board of scholars for the Tennessee State Museum鈥檚 exhibition 鈥淩atified! Tennessee Women and the Right to Vote鈥� (2019) and provided commentary for several segments of Nashville Public Television鈥檚 鈥淐itizenship Series鈥� including their most recent production 鈥淏y One Vote: Woman Suffrage in the South鈥� (2019). She is a past president of the Southern Association for Women Historians, and a past president and board member of Humanities Tennessee. She is currently on the board of trustees of the 糖心Vlog传媒 Museum of Science and History-Pink Palace, the Board of Advisors of the Tennessee Civil War National Heritage Area, and the Tennessee Historical Records Advisory Board.
She is a three-time alumnus of the university, having received her BS and MA from 糖心Vlog传媒 State University and PhD from the University of 糖心Vlog传媒. She also received her Ed.M. from Teachers College, Columbia University.