Jessie Mae Reasor Zander papers

Jessie Mae Reasor Zander was born on July 31, 1932, in Inman, Virginia. After completing high school at Central High School in Appalachia, Virginia, Jessie earned her teaching certification in Elementary Education at Swift Memorial Junior College. Jessie completed her studies at Berea College where she graduated in 1954 with a Bachelor of Art's degree in education. Jessie earned the distinction of becoming the first African American student to graduate from Berea college following the 1950 repeal of Kentucky's 1904 Day Law.

Relocating to Tucson, Arizona, with her husband Johnny Zander, Reasor Zander taught at the Tucson Indian Training School for five years and with the Tucson Unified School District (TUSD) for 30 years (retiring in 1989). Zander served as a teacher, counselor, and elementary school principal and earned Master's degrees in Elementary Education and Counseling from the University of Arizona.

During her retirement, Jessie volunteered with numerous organizations. For her service to her community, Jessie earned numerous awards including the Berea College Service Award. Her poetry has been published in the Appalachia Independent, Pen Women, Tucson Sun Press, and the Arizona Sun. In addition to her diverse interests and travels, Jessie embraced her humble roots and proudly referred to herself as a Black Appalachian.

Jessie was a visiting professor in Berea College's Department of Education in 1991. She was an education consultant for the Carter G. Woodson Institute and has served on Berea's President's Council and alumni association.

Jessie passed away on October 3, 2023, at the age of 91.