Dr. Gail L. Thompson, Researcher, Critically Acclaimed Author, and Educator ★

Gail L. Thompson

Gail L. Thompson photo

Dr. Gail L. Thompson is a researcher; critically acclaimed author; co-author, and co-editor of many articles and 10 books; former secondary school teacher; and former Endowed Professor of Education. During her years as the Wells Fargo Endowed Professor of Education at Fayetteville State University, she created and served as Director of the Black Men Teaching (BMT) Program, and supervised doctoral students.

In addition to creating and implementing “The Literacy Club,” an afterschool reading incentive program for struggling readers at several schools, Dr. Thompson has appeared on numerous television and radio programs, including PBS Television’s “Tony Brown Journal.”

Dr. Thompson books, include the award-nominated The Power of One: How You Can Help or Harm African American Students; Through Ebony Eyes: What Teachers Need to Know but are Afraid to Ask About African American Students; and Up Where We Belong: Helping African American and Latino Students Rise in School and in Life.

Dr. Thompson is married to Rufus, a retired educator, author, Implementation Manager for Illuminate Education, and pilot. They have three adult children, Dr. Nafissa Thompson-Spires, an author and university instructor; NaChe’ a high school teacher, entrepreneur and inventor of Noki; and Stephen, a Mechanical Engineer and music composer. She is the very proud grandparent of Iveren and Isaiah.

Dr. Thompson currently serves as the “Executive Director of Equity” at Illuminate Education. Her latest book, Dear Beautiful! A Self-Empowerment Book for Black Women, was published in January 2018. Dear Beautiful! is the first book in her new motivational and empowerment series for teens and women.

Learn more at Gail L. Thompson’s official website



10 Books by Gail L. Thompson