Dr. Alma S. Adams, scholar, artist, legislator and community activist, has been selected to speak at the North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University 2008 Fall Commencement, Saturday, Dec. 13, 8:30 a.m. at the Greensboro Coliseum.

As an avid supporter of education and an A&T alum, Adams will address the more than 600 graduates and their guests.

Adams has served in the North Carolina General Assembly since 1994 when Governor James B. Hunt first appointed her. She was re-elected to her seventh term in November 2006. Prior to her service in the General Assembly, Adams served for one term on the Greensboro City School Board - becoming the first African American woman elected to that body - where she was a strong advocate for quality education.

Adams was elected by the citizens of District 2 in 1987 to represent North East Greensboro on the Greensboro City Council where she served until appointed to the North Carolina House. She was an outspoken voice for affordable housing and Neighborhood revitalization and spearheaded council support to open the McGirt-Horton Library, the first in the Phillips Avenue neighborhood.

As a N.C. representative she has a distinguished record for her efforts to improve the quality of life for women, children and families. She sponsored and supported legislation to strengthen domestic violence laws, adolescent pregnancy programs, and quality affordable health care for seniors and children. As a former chair of the North Carolina Women’s Legislative Caucus, Adams helped to introduce numerous bills to strengthen laws to protect children, women and families.

To ensure that all children—regardless of income—would have a nutritious start each morning, Adams successfully spearheaded the Children’s Breakfast Bill during the 2000 session of the legislature, an idea that won statewide support and recognition.

As an educator and professional artist, Adams has initiated and sponsored numerous bills to support North Carolina’s colleges, universities and schools and has been a strong advocate for the arts and culture. Along with N.C. Senator Katie Dorsett, Adams was instrumental in getting the General Assembly to hold a session on the campus of N.C. A&T in May 2008, the first time a session was held at an HBCU.

Her interest in educational equity and fairness in funding for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU’s) prompted Adams to introduce the University Equity Bill shortly after going to the house. This legislation ultimately led to the Statewide University Bond Initiative, which successfully passed a vote of the people. Her love for her alma mater prompted Adam’s successful passage of legislation for the first state matching funds for Agriculture Research program at A&T.

At the North Carolina General Assembly, Adams is chair of the NC Legislative Black Caucus. She is chair of Appropriations and vice-chair of the Local Government II Committee, a member of the Health and Aging Committees, Education Subcommittee on Universities and the Joint Select Committee on Economic Incentives. Adams is past chair of the Appropriations Subcommittee on General Government and Highway Safety.

Adams was one of six founding members of the American Legacy Foundation Board (an eleven member national foundation established by the MSA tobacco settlement) to reduce the use of tobacco among youth and all generations. She is a member of the Guilford Democratic Women, N.C. Equity, a Life member of the NAACP and a member of the New Zion Missionary Baptist Church in Greensboro. She co-founded The African American Atelier, Inc. (an African American Art Gallery Organization) with her mentor, artist/teacher the late Eva Hamlin Miller in 1990 and is a member of the National Alliance of Artists and the National Art Education Association.

Adams has a long history of recognitions and awards for her work in education, the arts and public service. Included among them are: NAACP Woman of the Year; Sojourner Truth Meritorious Award, ARC Legislative Award; NOW Legislative Award; Woman of Achievement in the Arts Award; Citizen of the Year (Omega Psi Phi); Belle Ringer Role Model Image Award; Eleanor Roosevelt Award; N.C. Hunger Network Advocate Award; Mary Powell Seymour Award; Displaced Homemakers Advocacy Award; Distinguished Alumni (NAFFEO) Award; Governors Distinguished N.C. Women of Achievement Award; Woman of Note in the Arts, Luther “Nick” Jerald’s Legislative Human Service Award and The N.C Sickle Cell Syndrome Legislative Service Award.

The former W.K. Kellog Foundation fellow, she has traveled and studied in fourteen countries researching self-esteem, culture and youth of African descent.

Recognized by the United Arts Council of Greensboro for her contributions as a silk-screen artist, Adams was named The 2002 African American Arts Festival artist. The University of North Carolina Student Government Association awarded Adams the 2003 John L. Sanders “Student Advocate Award.” In November 2004, Rep. Adams received the United Arts Council of Greensboro’s “Vanguard Society” Award in the Arts.

In 2007 Adams was recognized by the AFL-CIO with the “Friend of a Worker Award” for her work on the minimum wage bill; and the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) recognized her with the very first “Influential Woman Award” for community and civic endeavors. The Greensboro Chapter of the National Association of Negro Business and Professional Women’s Clubs, Inc. (NANBPW) honored Rep Adams with the “Bridge Builders Award” for her service and commitment to the community of Greensboro.

A phenomenal woman and avid hat wearer-collector, Adams is featured in two books about women: Crowns Portraits of Black Women in Church Hats by Michael Cunningham and Craig Marberry and Jewels: 50 Phenomenal Black Women Over 50 by Michael Cunningham and Connie Briscoe.

Adams, who has been on the faculty of Bennett College in Greensboro since 1972, is a practicing professional silk-screen artist and serves as professor of art and oversees the college’s art collections. She is past chairperson of the Department of Visual Arts and Humane Studies and former director of the Humanities Division. She has two adult children, Jeanelle Lindsay and Billy E. Adams II; two grandsons, Billy Eugene Adams III and Aaron Tye Lindsay; and two granddaughters, Miracle Sumner and Joslyn Rochelle Lindsay.

She received both her bachelor’s ('68) and master's degree ('72) in art education from A&T and her Ph.D. ('81) in art education and multicultural education from Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio.