Deborah Johnson-Simon

Welcome to the publication, “Representations.” This is a project designed to bring the perspectives of a wider variety of groups to the forefront of the anthropology classroom. In recognition of often-overlooked Women’s History, we are covering the accomplishments of female anthropologists. Learn more about our project; read on for the amazing accomplishments of Deborah Johnson-Simon.

Deborah Johnson-Simon is the CEO of the African Diaspora Museology Institute INC. in Savannah, Georgia. The African Diaspora Museology Institute Inc. is a research lab dedicated to scholarly investigation of the history and culture of the Africa Diaspora with a particular focus on Black cultural institutions. Deborah has worked for over 20 years on museum and cultural heritage projects in several states including Arizona, Florida, Maryland, Virginia, South Carolina, and Georgia.

Deborah received her Bachelor’s in Anthropology/Sociology from Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida. Then she went on to earn her Master’s degree in Anthropology and Museum studies from Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona, and her Ph.D in Anthropology. She taught at Santa Fe Community College and the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida; she earned her Ph.D. Deborah is currently an adjunct professor at Savannah State University in the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences where she teaches Anthropology. Deborah has presented her research on museum association and anthropology association panels and to discussion groups as her research institute is unique to this area of academia. She is the author of several books including, Culture Keepers: Florida, We’re Cookin It Up Again: Recipes to Celebrate the 1983 Blacks in Museums Directory, Kid’s Can Cook It Up Too, Anaya Visits the James E. Lewis Museum of Art, Anaya and Grammy: A Virginia Arts and Alzheimer’s Story; Tim and Trey: A Georgia Arts and Alzheimer’s Story, Kiah Museum Day of Remembrance: A Quilt Exhibition, and co-editor of the Second Generation of African American Pioneers in Anthropology,(2018) published by University of Illinois Press. She is currently working on the Kiah Museum Story which documents the life and work of portrait artist and museum founder Virginia Jackson Kiah.

Bibliography

“Dr. Deborah Johnson-Simon .” Center for the Study of African and Afican Diaspora Museums and Communities, 23 May 2020, theadmi.org/about-us-2/.

Photo courtesy of Savannah Magazine.