Pansye S. Atkinson (1930-2022)

Pansye S. Atkinson (1930-2022)

Pansye S. Atkinson was born in Asheville, North Carolina and acquired her undergraduate degree from Fisk University in Tennessee. She began her career as a school teacher in Georgetown, South Carolina and later taught in Baltimore City.

In 1969 Pansye Atkinson became the first person to hold the newly created position of Coordinator of Integration at Frostburg State College (achieved university status in 1987). In 1969, the African-American student enrollment at Frostburg was about one percent. As the minority student population increased, Atkinson, whose position was now Director of Minority Affairs, focused on social and academic advising, counseling, and monitoring. She also secured the cooperation and involvement of other faculty and staff as well as the general student population.

Atkinson completed her Masters Degree at Frostburg, was appointed Frostburg State University's first Director of Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity (AA/EEO) in 1986, and authored the 1993 book entitled, Brown vs. Topeka: Desegregation and Miseducation, An African American's View. Most recently she has published "Bill Cosby's 'Brown' Blues" in the scholarly journal, Black Issues in Higher Education, December 30, 2004.

After over 36 years at Frostburg, Pansye S. Atkinson retired in 2005. On May 21, 2016 Pansye Atkinson received the Allegany County NAACP Branch 7007 Lifetime Achievement Award.