Carolyn Jefferson-Jenkins

Carolyn Jefferson-Jenkins, PhD, served two terms as the 15th president of the League of Women Voters of the United States and chair of the League of Women Voters Education (1998–2002). She is the only woman of color to have served as national president in the organization's first one hundred years. The organization, established in 1920, is a nonpartisan, activist, grassroots organization that believes women should play an active role in democracy.

Since her tenure as president of the League of Women Voters, she has continued to be an activist for civil rights and social justice, including voting rights for underrepresented populations.

Early Life

Carolyn Jefferson-Jenkins is a native of Cleveland, OH. She grew up during the American civil rights movement and was inspired by the movement to become active in civics. Her grandmother, Barbara Blaine, was a source of inspiration for what would become Carolyn Jefferson-Jenkins’s life’s work: education and voting rights . Blaine was both an educator and an activist, and would teach those who had not learned how to write how to sign their name so that they could register to vote. Dr. Jefferson-Jenkins had family in the South who also suffered from the disenfranchisement of bigotry and segregation. Jenkins' witnessing the impacts of discrimination and segregation first hand helped to inspire her to work for change in the political system.

Education and Early Career

Dr. Jefferson-Jenkins attended Western College for Women in Oxford, Ohio and graduated with a B.A. Education and Political Science in 1974. She went on to earn an M.Ed. in Administration and Supervision from John Carroll University in Cleveland, Ohio, and an Ed.S. in Curriculum and Instruction from Kent State University in Kent, Ohio. She graduated with her doctorate in Urban Education from Cleveland State University in Cleveland, Ohio in 1991, focusing her dissertation work on analyzing the role of administration on racial isolation in Cleveland public schools in the early twentieth century.

A firm believer in the value of public schools, Dr. Jefferson-Jenkins began her career as a public school teacher, vice principal, principal and administrator while she pursued her masters and doctorate degrees. Her career in public school and higher education spanned more than 40 forty years. She has also served in higher education as an adjunct professor in a variety of leadership positions in Ohio, Colorado, and nationally.

Presidency of the League of Women Voters

Dr. Jefferson-Jenkins joined the League of Women Voters in 1982. Under her leadership, the league helped pass the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (BCRA), which closed the most significant loopholes in campaign finance regulation at the time. She also led a charge to focus on local elections while increasing the number of voters who participated in all elections.

Her involvement in the league provided her the platform to explore her passion for voting rights for women, advocacy and equity. Jefferson-Jenkins served in a range of capacities at the local, state, and national levels of the League. She served as a member of the national Board of Directors of the League from 1994-2002 and was Second Vice-President, 1996-1998. Her work catapulted her to success, culminating in her election as the 15th President of the League of Women Voters in 1998. She was the first woman of African descent to serve as president to the league. As a two-term president, Dr. Jefferson-Jenkins led the education and advocacy work of this grassroots organization on a wide range of public policy issues. At the time of her presidency there were more than 120,000 members in all 50 states.

Beginning in 2002 she participated in democracy building efforts in Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil, the Netherlands, Israel, and eight African countries through her work with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in these nations. Jefferson-Jenkins was also a senior associate for America's Choice Schools at the National Center on Education and the Economy in Washington, D.C. She also served on the Board of the Women Ambassadors Program at Howard University in Washington, D.C. In 2010, she was named to the Board of the Colorado Judicial Institute.

In 2014, she moved to North Carolina to work at the James B. Hunt Jr. Institute for Educational Leadership and Policy. She currently serves as an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the School of Education at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. Dr. Jefferson-Jenkins is Vice President of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of North Carolina. She also served as Vice President of the Women’s Forum of North Carolina, and remains on their Board. She is active in the League of Women Voters Orange, Durham and Chatham Counties, and served on the Chatham County Elections Task Force. She was recently appointed to the Board of Directors of the ACLU-NC. Before moving to North Carolina, Dr. Jefferson-Jenkins served on the Board of Trustees of the Women’s Foundation of Colorado where she still serves as an honorary Trustee, as well as, the Colorado Board of Nursing, the Colorado Judicial Institute, and a variety of community-based organizations. She continues to advocate for educational excellence and stronger citizen participation in the electoral process. She speaks both nationally and internationally for Women’s Equality Day, Black History Month and Women’s History month events.

Women’s Voting Rights

During her years of service at the national level, Dr. Jefferson-Jenkins oversaw several comprehensive League initiatives. These included the 1996 Get Out the Vote campaign, which registered more than 50,000 voters nationally; the Wired for Democracy project, which increased voter education and participation via the Web; and the League’s strategic plan, “The Future Plan,” which emphasized keeping the League relevant through diversity, equity and inclusion.

Throughout her presidency, Dr. Jefferson-Jenkins placed a high priority on campaign finance reform, election reform, education reform and health care, particularly for underrepresented populations. Much of her tenure focused on the League’s initiative “Vision for the 21st Century,” which emphasized League impact, visibility, and organizational development. She encouraged enhanced communications, as reflected in the new League website established in 2000 and the redesigned quarterly magazine, The National Voter. Forward-thinking outreach under her leadership was exemplified by the Take a Friend to Vote campaign and Democracy Net (DNet), a nonpartisan voter information website. Through these efforts Dr. Jefferson-Jenkins worked to increase participation in the electoral process and encourage women and ethnic minorities to run for public office.

Contributions

In 2001, Dr. Jefferson-Jenkins moderated the Denver segment of an unprecedented televised Town Hall meeting to help US citizens better understand the UN’s role in fighting terrorism. The convening was co-hosted by UN Secretary Kofi Annan and renowned journalist Walter Cronkite. In 2004, Dr. Jefferson-Jenkins presented at the first Global Congress of Black Women Leaders, co-sponsored by UNESCO and held in Paris, France.

Issues

Dr. Jefferson-Jenkins’ international efforts included supporting democracy-building efforts in Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil, the Netherlands, Israel, and eight African countries. She worked extensively with the non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in these countries and continues to serve on the Board of the Women Ambassadors program at Howard University in Washington, DC.

In her capacity as League spokesperson, Dr. Jefferson-Jenkins participated in more than 1,000 print and media interviews, appearing in segments on C-Span, NPR, Lifetime Television, and Court TV; CNN, ABC, NBC, and CBS affiliates; and Fox News Network. She was tapped for a segment for the Newseum. Dr. Jefferson-Jenkins served as keynote speaker for a host of events, including the Westminster Forum in Minnesota, The Commonwealth Club in California, and The City Club in Ohio. She was a speaker for the United States Department of State, Speakers and Specialist Program. In addition, she served as a Commissioner with the Judicial Independence Committee of the American Bar Association. For three terms, Dr. Jefferson-Jenkins was a judge for the Good Housekeeping Good Government Award.

Dr. Jefferson-Jenkins has provided testimony before both the US Senate and the US House of Representatives, as well as the Ford/Carter Commission. She is a recognized authority on voting rights of African-Americans and is the author of The Road to Black Suffrage and One Man, One Vote: The History of the African-American Vote in the United States published by the League of Women Voters of Cleveland Education Fund. She has also contributed to numerous journals and books on election reform, most notably The Electoral College and Counting Votes: The 2000 Election. Her new book The Untold Story of Women of Color in the League of Women Voters honors the contributions of these women, in preparation for the organization’s centennial celebration.

Additional Honors

A recipient of numerous awards for her volunteerism and civic involvement, Dr. Jefferson-Jenkins has been recognized in Notable Black American Women, Volume III; Who’s Who Among Successful African-Americans; and Who’s Who in American Education.

Carolyn Jefferson-Jenkins has received various honors during her career:

• Freedom Summer 1964 Award (2020) Miami University, Oxford, OH
• Public Health Hero of the Year (2012) Tri County Health Department, Colorado
• Women of Distinction (2010) Girl Scouts of America
• Making Democracy Work (2010) League of Women Voters Douglas County
• Woman of Color (2006) Miami University, Women's Center
• Making A Difference (2004) John Carroll University, Ohio
• Who’s Who in America (2001, 2002)
• Cleveland State University Distinguished Alumni Award - Civic Leadership (2001)
• Spirit of Democracy National Civic Leadership Award (2000) National Coalition on Black Civic Participation
• Young Mills Memorial Award (2000) Cabrini College, Pennsylvania
• Who’s Who Among Successful African Americans (1998)
• Pikes Peak Business and Professional Women Women of the Year (1998)
• Carrie Chapman Catt Good Government Volunteer Award (1995)
• Who’s Who in America Education (1994)
• Teacher Improvement Project Grant (1991)
• Small Grant Award - Cleveland Education Fund (1988)
• Scholarship - Center for Research in Law - Related Education (1998)
• Nominee - Martha Holden Jennings Master Teacher Award (1988)
• PTA Teacher of the Year Award (1987)
• Fellowship - Center for Learning (1986, 1987)
• Outstanding Young Woman In America (1985)

Published Works

• The Road to Black Suffrage
• One Man, One Vote: The History of the African-American Vote in the United States (1991)
• The Untold Story of Women of Color in the League of Women Voters (2020) ISBN 9781440874499

Post Works

Since 2018, Dr. Jefferson-Jenkins has worked as an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the School of Education at the University of North Carolina- at Chapel Hill. Dr. Jefferson-Jenkins continues to be an advocate and activist for civil rights, social justice, educational excellence, and stronger citizen participation in the electoral process for underrepresented populations. She actively serves on numerous Boards boards and advises community-based organizations. Since moving to North Carolina, Dr. Jefferson-Jenkins is the Vice President of the ACLU of North Carolina, served as Vice President of the Women’s Forum of North Carolina and remains on the Board. She is active in the LWV Orange, Durham and Chatham Counties and served on the Chatham County Elections Task Force.

External Links

• Carolyn Jefferson Jenkins Collection, Miami University Archives, Oxford, Ohio, archival collection of Dr. Jefferson-Jenkins papers held at the Walter Havighurst Special Collections and University Archives.
• C-SPAN Appearances, video recordings of C-SPAN appearances featuring Dr. Carolyn Jefferson-Jenkins.