MARIE FIELDER: A PORTRAIT SHOWCASES LIFE AND WORK OF INFLUENTIAL ACTIVIST AND FOUNDING FIELDING TRUSTEE

WDr. Fielder and encourages research that addresses today’s educational and social problems.

Marie Fielder: A Portrait is available in print ($19.95) and e-book versions ($9.95) on Amazon and other booksellers.

JENNY JOHNSON-RILEY, PHD

ritten by Jenny Johnson-Riley, PhD, and published through Fielding University Press, Marie Fielder: A Portrait showcases how Dr. Marie Fielder, who was the first African American woman with a doctorate to teach in the San Francisco Bay Area, influenced public education in California and throughout the nation. Dr. Johnson-Riley, a Fielding alum who works in the treatment and prevention of sexual violence field in Washington State, describes Dr. Fielder's incalculable achievements in this 94-page publication.

A strong advocate for social justice, Dr. Fielder facilitated interracial community dialogues in the aftermath of the Birmingham Church Bombings in 1963 and the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in 1968 to de-escalate violence and promote community healing. Through her vision and commitment to racial justice during her 60-year career, Dr. Fielder inspired many and left an indelible mark on the entire nation.

“I'm a big believer in learning from history, and particularly in learning from the work of prior activists,” said Dr. Johnson-Riley. “We don’t have to reinvent the wheel or think we are the first generation that's ever had to deal with a particular issue. We can learn a lot and improve our own effectiveness and understanding as social change agents when we learn from prior activists.”

Dr. Fielder was an instrumental member of Fielding’s Board of Trustees when Fielding was founded in 1974. The Marie Fielder Center for Democracy, Leadership, and Education, founded in 2016, honors the legacy and work of