Dr. Willa Beatrice Player (August 9, 1909 – August 29, 2003) was a pioneering American educator and civil rights activist. She made history as the first African-American woman to serve as president of a four-year, fully accredited liberal arts college when she assumed leadership at Bennett College in Greensboro, North Carolina, in 1955.
Born in Jackson, Mississippi, Player’s family relocated to Akron, Ohio, during her childhood. She pursued higher education diligently, earning a bachelor’s degree from Ohio Wesleyan University in 1929, followed by a master’s degree from Oberlin College in 1930. Her academic journey continued with postgraduate studies at the University of Grenoble in France and culminated in a Ph.D. from Columbia University in 1948.
Player’s association with Bennett College began in 1930 when she joined as a faculty member teaching Latin and French. Over the years, she ascended through various administrative roles, including Director of Admissions and Vice-President. Her leadership was marked by a commitment to academic excellence and social justice. Notably, during the civil rights movement, she supported Bennett students participating in the Greensboro sit-ins by ensuring they received their assignments while incarcerated, demonstrating her dedication to both education and activism.
In 1966, after a distinguished tenure at Bennett College, Player was appointed by President Lyndon B. Johnson as the first female Director of the Division of College Support in the U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, a position she held until her retirement in 1986.
Throughout her career, Dr. Player received numerous accolades, including honorary doctorates from several institutions and inductions into the Ohio Hall of Fame and the Ohio United Methodist Hall of Fame. Her legacy endures as a testament to her unwavering dedication to education and civil rights.
