In this season of historic firsts that includes President-Elect Barack Obama’s inauguration as the first African American president of the United States, Metro State is preparing to celebrate the life of one of Colorado’s pioneers, the late Rachel B. Noel, and to honor four of Colorado’s African American leaders.

A civil rights activist, Noel was the first African American elected to the Denver School Board. In 1968, she proposed a historic resolution to integrate Denver’s public schools. The resolution went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, which upheld it in 1973. Noel came to Metro State in 1969 as a professor of sociology and of African American studies, a department she chaired from 1971 to 1980. Upon her retirement, she was named professor emeritus. She passed away in February 2008 at the age of 90.

In 1981, the College established the Rachel B. Noel Distinguished Visiting Professorship to honor this history and to foster multiculturalism, diversity and academic excellence at the College. The professorship brings renowned artists and scholars of distinction to Metro State to conduct performances and lectures for students, faculty and the larger Denver community.

“We are honored to continue celebrating the life’s work of Mrs. Rachel B. Noel,” says Wilton Flemon, professor of chemistry and chair of the professorship committee. “The scholars and the honorees exemplify the importance of such legacies.”

2009 Noel Professor Faith Adiele is widely recognized for her book “Meeting Faith” (W.W. Norton), a travel memoir about becoming Thailand’s first black Buddhist nun.

This year’s scholar is Faith Adiele, an assistant professor of Creative Nonfiction at the University of Pittsburgh. She is widely recognized for her book “Meeting Faith” (W.W. Norton), a travel memoir about becoming Thailand’s first black Buddhist nun, for which she received the PEN Beyond Margins Award for Best Memoir of 2004. Her professorship at Metro State will include lectures at a variety of events, including the 2009 Rachel B. Noel Distinguished Visiting Professorship Community Event at Shorter AME Church in Denver at 7 p.m. on Feb. 17.

Adiele will deliver the keynote address on the evening’s theme, “Educational Empowerment: The Community Comes Together.”

During the evening, the following Colorado pioneers will be honored for their leadership and service to the state: Colorado House Speaker Terrance Carroll, former Superintendent of Denver Public Schools Evie Dennis, Colorado Senate President Peter C. Groff and 2008 Democratic National Convention Host Committee President Elbra Wedgeworth.

For a schedule of events for the2009 Rachel B. Noel Distinguished Visiting Professorship, visit http://www.mscd.edu/news/noel/.