Beverly Daniel Tatum, Ph.D.

Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum is the author of the New York Times bestselling book, Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?: Other Conversations About Race, and the book, Can We Talk About Race?: And Other Conversations in an Era of School Resegregation. Her next book, Peril and Promise: College Leadership in Turbulent Times, is set for publication in September, delivering thought-provoking perspectives on the contemporary challenges and opportunities facing higher education in a time of rapid social change.

An award-winning psychologist widely known for her expertise on race relations and as a thought leader in higher education, she is President Emerita of Spelman College. Her 13 years as the President of Spelman College (2002-2015) were marked by innovation and growth and her visionary leadership was recognized in 2013 with the Carnegie Academic Leadership Award. In spring 2017, she was the Mimi and Peter E. Haas Distinguished Visitor at Stanford University. During the academic year 2022-23, she served as interim President at Mount Holyoke College.

The combination of her expertise and her engaging, conversational style make Dr. Tatum a sought-after speaker on the topic of higher education leadership, strategies for creating inclusive campus and work environments and the impact of race in the classroom.

Dr. Tatum holds a B.A. degree in Psychology from Wesleyan University, and M.A. and Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Michigan as well as an M.A. in Religious Studies from Hartford International University (formerly Hartford Seminary). She was the 2014 recipient of the American Psychological Association’s Award for Outstanding Lifetime Contributions to Psychology.