Plymouth Church Seattle Plymouth Church Seattle

A lively, 'Oprah-style' conversation between Rev. Kelle Brown and legendary education advocate Dr. Maxine B. Mimms.

Influenced by her early exposure to Marcus Garvey, Howard Thurman and other black leaders, Mimms graduated from high school in 1946 with honors and received her BA degree from Virginia Union University in 1950 and later earned her Ph.D. there in educational administration.

Mimms moved to Seattle in 1953, where she taught at Leschi Elementary School and served in administration for Seattle Public Schools. She taught at Evergreen State College from 1972 and developed a program that served working adults, with a focus on needs of urban, African American adult learners. The first Director of the Evergreen-Tacoma Campus, she became an international consultant in curriculum design and instructional methods.

Recently Mimms founded the Maxine Mimms Academy, a nonprofit organization in Tacoma’s hilltop neighbored established to serve youth expelled or suspended from public schools.

Mimms celebrates her 90th birthday, Saturday, March 3 at Evergreen State College, Tacoma.