Dr. Cecilia Jane Myrick, 59: Pioneer of culture-based education

By Rick Badie

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Dr. Cecilia Myrick's parents taught their children to love all people and instilled in them a strong sense of cultural identity and self-worth.

Family photo Cecilia Jane Myrick, 59, died Tuesday from a brain aneurysm.

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To that end, the educator was a pioneer in the implementation of a culture-based approach to teaching. She validated the existence and contributions of  people of African descent, then used them as a gateway to learning.

At Bethune-Cookman University,  she created a multimedia textbook, "African Legacy." As an associate professor at Fort Valley State University, she helped improve student pass rates on the state Regents' Examination and teacher certification examinations. And she developed literacy programs to train teachers.

"She was a pioneer in culture-based teaching before it had the popularity that it has now," said a sister, Dr. Clarissa Myrick-Harris of Atlanta. "She taught students of various backgrounds and used one's culture as a gateway to help students in reading and writing. She loved her African heritage and took every opportunity to infuse her life with aspects of a world culture."

On Aug. 31, Dr. Cecilia Jane Myrick of Atlanta died in her sleep due to a brain aneurysm. She was 59. A memorial is scheduled for 11 a.m. Tuesday at Allen Temple AME Church in Atlanta. Alphonso Dawson Mortuary Inc. is in charge of arrangements.

Dr. Myrick attended Atlanta's F.L. Stanton Elementary School and was the 1969 salutatorian at Turner High. At Georgia State University, she earned a bachelor's degree in English, a master's degree in education and a doctoral degree in reading instruction.

In the early 1980s, she was a coordinator/instructor for Literacy Action and taught English for the Opportunities Industrialization Center, both nonprofits. She also was a coordinator/instructor for Georgia State's language research center and taught reading in the school's developmental studies program.

In the mid-1990s, the vegan was a professor at Governor's State University in University Park, Ill. That was followed by stints at Bethune-Cookman as a reading and English professor and as chairwoman of Morris Brown's teacher education department, where she helped revamp the curriculum.

"At the time, enrollment had declined at Morris Brown," said Dr. Nellie W. Adams, a retired Atlanta educator. "She helped the school get certified to offer a higher level of training. She was very committed and spent extra time trying to help students collectively and individually."

Since June, the educator had been an independent education consultant. She was in the process of completing a book partly based on her doctoral dissertation, which dealt with an African-themed literature curriculum.

"We will finish it for her," her sister said. "It will be published next year."

Survivors other than her sister include her parents, James and Mattie Myrick of Atlanta; a daughter, Celia Nicole "Meerah" Myrick of Atlanta; another sister, Carmencita Myrick of Atlanta; and two brothers, James Myrick Jr. of  Houston and Jason Myrick of Atlanta.