In an intimate retelling of her personal story, Gwynette Ford Lacy details how she emerged from a childhood full of challenges to beat the odds and achieve a series of firsts, including being the first African American female to earn a Ph.D. in her field from the University of Wiscosin-Madison, a Big Ten university. The author describes how she was able to survive and succeed despite her background and gender.
Born and raised in Washington, DC, the author provided a glimpse into major events in American hisotry during the 1960's and 70's, such as the Civil Rights Movement, assassinations and riots, the Vietnam War, and the Watergate Scandal. She also shares her triumphs, accomplishments and how she created a life that matters with the use of perseverance, hope and determination, another form of PHD.
MADAME PH.D.: Growing Up Black in DC and Beating the Odds: Nettie’s DC Story of Perseverance, Hope, and Determination (PHD) by Gwynette Ford Lacy Ph.D. MBA
Gwynette Lacy's review
Feb 28, 2023 · edit
It was amazing
Review by Michael.Valentine@OnlineBookClub.org
"Madame Ph.D. is a book that details the experiences of a native Washingtonian and her journey from growing up amid the trappings of the mean streets of inner-city DC to become the first African American female to earn the Ph.D. degree in her field from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She was able to surmount the obstacles thrown in her way through perseverance, hope, and determination, a formula that she pens as another form of PHD.
I liked this book a lot. I was able to see historical events vividly and realistically through the author's eyes, such as the March on Washington and the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., unlike the cold way I normally read about them in history books. Reading historical events as experienced by a native Washingtonian made them more captivating. The author details a lot of things about the 1960's and 70's: the music, styles, and cultural trends that I think will appeal to older readers who lived through that era and will also be informative to younger readers. I loved the way the author was able to balance her academic, career, social and family lives.
I would recommend this autobiography to just about everyone, but particularly to young women fighting to succeed and trying to balance all aspect of their lives. I give this book a rating of five out of five stars. I consider it to be realistic, insightful, encouraging and powerful."
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Author Shares Personal Story to Inspire Others to Reach Greatness
A Black Woman Who Earns a Ph.D. in her Field Attributes Success to Perseverance, Hope and Determination (PHD)
WASHINGTON D.C. – Every Ph.D. has a story, and author Gwynette Ford Lacy is no exception. Lacy shares her personal story of perseverance, hope and determination in her new book “Madame Ph.D.: Growing Up Black in DC and Beating the Odds.” As a young black girl struggling in inner-city Washington, D.C. she became determined to survive and succeed despite her background, gender, and the color of her skin.
“It is my hope to inspire and motivate girls and women to go after their dreams,” Lacy said. “You can accomplish anything you set out to do with perseverance, hope and determination (PHD), three words that I derived from the letters of the highest degree I hold.”
In the book Lacy discusses how she emerged from a childhood full of challenges to beat the odds and achieve a series of “firsts,” including becoming the first African American female to earn a Ph.D. in her business field from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
The great, great, great granddaughter of a female slave, Lacy provides a unique perspective from living through and participating in major events in American history in the 1960’s and 70’s, such as the Civil Rights Movement, Watergate, and the Vietnam War. She also shares the triumphs she experienced along the way, including laughter, love, and joy, and how she created a life that matters.
“It’s not where you start in life,” Lacy said, “it’s how and that you finish the race that matters. Through my story, I hope to show that you can overcome the bad things and reach for the good things in life.”
“Madame Ph.D.: Growing Up Black in DC and Beating the Odds”
By Gwynette Ford Lacy, Ph.D., MBA
ISBN: 9781665713726 (softcover); 9781665713740 (hardcover); 9781665713733 (electronic)
Available at Archway Publishing, Amazon and Barnes & Noble or contact the author below.
About the author
Gwynette Ford Lacy grew up in inner-city Washington, DC. and attended DC public schools. After graduating magna cum laude from Lincoln University, Oxford, Penn., marrying, and working as an auditor for the federal government, she earned an MBA and Ph.D. at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She returned to DC and eventually became the first African American female Ph.D. to earn tenure and serve as Chair of the Department of Management of the School of Business at Howard University, and later, as the Associate Provost, while raising two children. Today she is an international management consultant, trainer, and motivational speaker.
To learn more, please visit https://www.archwaypublishing.com/en/bookstore/bookdetails/825572-madame-phd.
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General Inquiries:
Dr. Gwynette Ford Lacy
drgplacy@aol.com
(301) 442-7229
