Margaree Seawright Crosby, EdD
In her personal testimony, There Is Still Life After Cancer, Margaree Seawright Crosby, EdD reveals a philosophy that has sustained her throughout her life. That philosophy is to help others and never to give up though obstacles may seem impossible to overcome. Crosby has not let adversities infringe on her personal life or her commitment to educating and helping others. Twice diagnosed with cancer, ovarian cancer in 1984 which required five hospitalizations and breast cancer in 1988 which resulted in a mastectomy, she proclaims, “My goals in life are to stay well and become a national spokesperson for breast cancer awareness.” A survivor of cancer since 1988, she has been a national and state advocate for cancer research and early testing. Her public service announcements have been aired on television and her story was featured in “Life After Cancer,” on WSPA-TV, Greenville, South Carolina. In 1995, she was appointed by the Governor of South Carolina and the South Carolina Cancer Society as a delegate to the first National Congress on Cancer Survivorship held in Washington, DC. Born in Greenville, South Carolina, in 1941, Crosby was the youngest of four daughters. She attended the all black Sterling High School, where the Rev. Jesse Jackson was one of her classmates. After graduation, she enrolled at the South Carolina State College form which she and a group of college students led a protest that resulted in the desegregation of the Greenville Public Library. Crosby continued her education by earning her MEd in reading education from Clemson University in 1973 and her EdD in urban education/reading from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst in 1976. She began work in the College of Education at Clemson University in 1977. An excellent teacher, researcher, and scholar, Crosby quickly moved up the professorial ranks until she became a tenured full professor, the first African-American female to achieve that position at Clemson. She has gained national and state recognition for her expertise. She specializes in teacher training, language arts, and reading education. She has published numerous articles and professional papers, been a panelist at conferences and symposia, and conducted workshops and seminars. She is knowledgeable in many areas of education having taught in Headstart, elementary, middle and high school as well as at the college level. As a result of her outstanding achievements in civil rights, education, health related issues, and public service, she is included in EVERYDAY HEROES, a textbook book for middle and high school students. Crosby is active in many organizations and has held leadership positions on several boards, including the South Carolina International Reading Association and the National Rainbow Coalition. She is the first African-American and female to service on the Board of Directors of Greenville Memorial Hospital. She has received numerous awards and honors at national, state, and local levels. She is a recipient of the South Carolina Women of Achievement Award, presented by the South Carolina Commission on Women. She has been listed in Jet magazine, outstanding Young Women of America, and Who’s Who in American Education.