Dr. Adunni Anderson: Real African-American History of South Orange and Maplewood

Dr. Adunni Anderson, Director of the Primary School at Kent Place School and local resident, will speak about the long and rich history of African-Americans in our Essex County towns. Her own family has lived in South Orange for many generations.

Before joining the Kent Place School, Dr. Anderson was assistant principal at the acclaimed Glenfield Gifted and Talented Middle School in Montclair. She is also an active community member serving on numerous boards and committees, including the South Orange/Maplewood Community Coalition on Race, the South Mountain YMCA Board of Managers, the Children’s Theatre Workshop/Peppermint Players, Inc., and the Montclair Art Museum, where she is an advisory board member to the education and African American cultural committee. She has been inducted into national and international honor societies and has received numerous honors including the Geraldine R. Dodge Fellowship Award in Leadership and the NAACP Excellence in Education Award.

She received her doctorate in educational leadership, management and policy from Seton Hall University and her BA in sociology/psychology and her MA in teaching/urban education from Simmons College.
The Ethical Culture Society of Essex County is a progressive non-theist religion dedicated to living ethically in a complex world. Founded in l876 and established in Maplewood in l945, over the years the ethical culture movement (known as The American Ethical Union) has been instrumental in launching Planned Parenthood, the NAACP, Visiting Nurses, New York Settlement House, Fieldston School, and National Ethical Service at the UN. The Society began a long-running Ethics for Children program and most recently, Essex Time Exchange (a time bank facilitating the exchange of services) among other initiatives. The Maplewood Society was the first peace site in the country. Its motto is: to act so as to bring out the best in ourselves by bringing out the best in others.
Contact information: 973-763-1905; www.essexethical.org. Join us for weekly programs, discussions, and fellowship Sundays at 11 am. All are welcome.