From Enslavement to Belovedness: for the Dignity of my People
by Adelaide L. Sanford

In this transcendent memoir, grounded in fond reminiscence of family, community, and a career dedicated to love and service, Dr. Adelaide L. Sanford shares personal reflections of her journey to becoming a renowned educator, public scholar, school leader, Board of Regents policymaker, and activist.

Born and bred in Brooklyn, New York, Sanford has been a lifelong educator and staunch advocate for Black students and families, for African-centered teaching, and for equity and excellence in education. The author shares intimate, painful memories of her enslaved grandmother who would often proudly recount her family’s Ibo (Nigeria) origins to Sanford and other family members. From Enslavement to Belovedness is dedicated to ‘the beloved ones’ (i.e., African Peoples throughout the world) for whom Sanford – witnessed through her lifetime of study, struggle, teaching, and service – embodied a deep, lasting connection that shaped and informed her life as wife, mother, teacher, and servant-leader. Narrating the complexities of struggle and commitment,

From Enslavement to Belovedness is a heartfelt, illuminating, and visionary memoir about family and the unshakeable bond of love, leadership, and service to the community.