By Sarah Gallaher | Staff Writer
Dr. Coretta M. Pittman is settling into her new position as associate dean of diversity and belonging in the College of Arts and Sciences. As the first to hold this position, Pittman will review the DEI committee’s recommendations for improving standards of diversity and belonging.
Pittman began her career at Baylor 20 years ago in the English department and has taught courses on African American literature, race rhetoric and research writing. During her time as a professor, diversity remained one of her main interests in both her courses and her personal research projects. However, Pittman’s passion for studying diversity began long before her work at Baylor.
“It goes back to probably high school,” Pittman said. “My dad used to record shows on PBS, and he had this series called ‘Eyes on the Prize.’ I was just kind of astounded by the Civil Rights Movement. I had never learned any of that history in high school and kind of knew that race relations in my town weren’t the best, but I didn’t have the language for it.”
Pittman’s high school in Jackson, Tenn., taught little about race relations. She said the information she learned by watching “Eyes on the Prize” inspired her to learn more about the history and future of diversity.
“I kind of made it my mission at 16 to … learn more about the history and to be invested in issues around diversity and belonging,” Pittman said.
Throughout college, Pittman continued her involvement by minoring in Black studies and learning more about African American contributions in literature. She continued her education, receiving both a master’s and a doctoral degree in English.
Before her appointment as associate dean, Pittman also served as a member of the Strategic Planning Group and the Arts and Sciences Diversity and Belonging Committee, helping create the very recommendations she is now set to review as associate dean.
Dr. Sarah Ford, a former colleague of Pittman and a professor of American literature, said Pittman will fill the position well.
“I think she will be excellent in that role for two reasons,” Ford said. “One, I think because of her research. She’s done a lot of research in race rhetoric. She’s taught classes in this. So I think she’s got a really good background professionally for it. Also, because I’ve seen Coretta Pittman as a leader. She is a fantastic leader. She listens well to people. She’s able to see various sides of an issue, and she’s really able to inspire people as well.”
Pittman and Ford have known each other since Pittman came to Baylor in 2003. Ford has worked closely alongside Pittman, helping her with drafts of her recent book, “Literacy in a Long Blues Note: Black Women’s Literature and Music in the Late Nineteenth and Early Twentieth Centuries,” which was released in November 2022.
“Her book is an interesting take on literary figures and musicians in conversation with each other,” Ford said. “In each chapter, she kind of pairs someone who writes literature or someone who writes rhetoric with one who is a blues singer or a musician and really thinks about the conversations between them.”
Pittman’s book is a testament to her knowledge of race relations — an important aspect of her new role as associate dean. According to Pittman, the book amplifies the voices of Black authors and singers in the ‘20s and ‘30s and makes connections between literature and music.
“I want to highlight how important it is for us to look to working-class Black women as our sources of intellect and not to dismiss them because they’re not middle class [and] they don’t dress a certain way,” Pittman said.
Pittman’s book highlights her passion for the subject, which directly translates into her passion for diversity and belonging at Baylor. As Pittman values the voices of Black women in history, she said she also values the voices of students and their input in conversations about diversity at Baylor.
“I think what we want to do is to really engage our student population and to ask, ‘What are the things you want us to do?’” Pittman said. “Very often, professors assume they know what students want, so we’re trying to deliver material in a way that we think is digestible and important.”
In the press release announcing Pittman’s new role, Dr. Lee Nordt, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, spoke about the effect Pittman’s work as associate dean will have on the Baylor community.
“The world is changing rapidly, and as a result, we need to be able to respond thoughtfully to many important issues associated with diversity and belonging,” Nordt said in the press release. “We are fortunate to have Dr. Pittman to help us think through these issues and find ways to provide greater outreach to our students, who represent a variety of ethnicities and cultures.”
