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University Distinguished Professor Emerita in English, Co-Founder and former Acting Director, African American and African Studies, former Core Faculty, African Studies Center, Michigan State University; author of eleven books, including the award-winning Talkin and Testifyin: the Language of Black America, Talkin That Talk: Language, Culture and Education in African America, and My Soul Look Back in Wonder: Memories from a Life of Study, Struggle, and Doin Battle in the Language Wars ; co-author of Articulate While Black: Barack Obama, Language and Race in the U.S.