Josephine McCann Posey, the former educator and university historian at Alcorn State University in Mississippi, died on January 15.
A native of Collins, Mississippi, Posey was a graduate of Alcorn State University and went on to earn a doctorate in education at Mississippi State University. After working in the public school system for nine years in Yazoo, Covington, and Washington counties in Mississippi, she taught at Mississippi Valley State University and Alcorn State University.
In 1984 Dr. Posey became the first woman to serve as the dean of the School of Education and Psychology at Alcorn State University. In addition to her duties as university historian at Alcorn State, she also served as interim vice president for academic affairs, special assistant to the president at Alcorn, and department chair.
Dr. Posey was the author of Succeeding Against Great Odds: Alcorn State University in its Second Century (University Press of Mississippi, 2017) and Against Great Odds: The History of Alcorn State University (University Press of Mississippi, 1994).
Felecia M. Nave, president of Alcorn State University, stated that “Dr. Posey was a respected and recognizable Alcorn icon that everyone loved. She dedicated her time to promoting the greatness of her beloved alma mater to the world.”