Sylverna V. Ford, the dean of University Libraries, accepted the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Human Rights Award with tears of gratitude on April 4.
“I was surprised. I was speechless. And those who know me know I am not speechless often,” Ford said.
Since 1976, the African and African American Studies and the Office of Diversity at University of Memphis has awarded someone affiliated with the university who displays great efforts in multicultural affairs and is striving to make the university a better place.
Ford received the award in front of a standing ovation from the audience in the River Room.
Ford began her acceptance speech with an anecdote to her childhood and discussed the importance of education.
“I am truly honored to be recognized in this way by receiving this award. Looking over the list of the names of the people who have received this award in the past I am in awe,” Ford said.
Ford said the past recipients are people she looks up to and have accomplished a lot.
“It’s hard to think of how I got here,” Ford said.
In her younger years, Ford and her siblings were moved from Baltimore to Prospect, Virginia in 1958.
In 1959, the public schools closed. She missed a year of school.
Ford said she was confused why black children were not allowed to go to school but white churches made private schools for white children.
Luckily for Ford, her mother had completed a year of college, and at the time those credentials were enough.
“I went to school every day. And my mother was the teacher.”
One year later, she moved back to Baltimore and was placed in the fourth grade, assuming she was going to be behind in her knowledge. After two weeks, she was put in the fifth grade.
“I never understood as a child why that happened, and why the schools had to be closed. But that was a life changing experience and it taught me a lot.”
Ford said it reminds her of the “value of education and the importance of recognizing that we are all the same.”
“It doesn’t matter where you come from or what color you are. We are all Gods’ children. We all deserve the best we can get out of this life,” Ford said. “We all deserve the opportunity to achieve whatever we want to achieve.”
Ford received her Ph. D from the University of Pittsburg, School of Liberty and Information Science. She obtained her Master of Library Science degree from University of Maryland, Graduate School of Library and Information Science, as well as her bachelor’s degree in Textile Science.
She has held her position as the Dean of University Libraries at the U of M since the fall of 2000.
“One of her many accomplishments is being the first Africa American women Dean of University Libraries,” Karen Weddle-West, provost of the university, said, who presented the award to Ford.
There is a university-wide caucus for the nominees of the award. After the comity reviews recommendations of those nominated, they make a choice. Weddle-West said that Ford was chosen for many reasons including “her dedication to our library and staff diversity has always been priority to her,” said Weddle-West.
Ford said fighting for what she believes in is something she has done throughout her life.
“I want to leave this world, and every encounter I’m in, to leave this world better than when I got here,” Ford said.
Ford gave her words of wisdom and says they go to “anyone and everyone.”
“At the end of the day, if you can look yourself in the mirror and say ‘I did the best that I could do today’, then you’ll be okay.”
