Kathlyn Joy Gilliam Museum reopens, honoring Dallas’ first Black woman elected to school board
The Kathlyn Joy Gilliam Museum recently reopened on Wendelkin Street in South Dallas. Honoring the legacy of Mrs. Kathlyn Joy Gilliam, the museum showcases the civil rights leader’s life story featuring original furnishings, photos, and artifacts in the home she lived in for 35 years. Furthering Gilliam’s vision for a quality education for boys and girls, the museum is also a learning center and includes a reading room and debate center for children.
Earlier this month, the museum hosted its first event for children. Former Texas State Representative Harryette Ehrhardt, Librarian Claudia DeShay, and Arts Educator Lio Hassan told stories as part of the “Reading under the Elm” series.
Gilliam was the first Black woman on the Dallas school board. She was elected in 1974 and served for 23 years. She was also the first Black board president in 1980.
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Sujata Dand is an award-winning journalist who is energized by change brought in communities in response to news stories. She lives in and has spent most of her reporting career in Dallas, with ample experience covering health care, education and public policy.
“I think it’s important to elevate voices that are often ignored,” Dand says. “For me, that means meeting the people in our communities. We need to see people and listen to them. It’s often a huge act of courage for people to openly share their lives. So, I feel an enormous responsibility in making sure my stories are authentic and fair.”
Dand worked at KERA for almost 10 years, where she produced several television documentaries, including “Life in the Balance: The Health Care Crisis in Texas” and “High School: The Best and the Rest.” She also headed the multimedia project “Boyfriends,” which examined the complex personal and cultural factors that contribute to the way adolescent girls form and maintain relationships. Her work has garnered several local Emmys and national awards including a Gracie for best reality program.
Prior to her work with KERA, Sujata was a reporter and anchor at the CBS affiliate in Wichita Falls, Texas. She has worked as a freelance reporter for NPR and Dallas Morning News. Dand is a graduate of Trinity University in San Antonio.
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health care, education, public policy
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Dallas, Texas
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Senior Editor and Reporter
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sujata@dallasfreepress.com
