Read, Florence Matilda

Florence Matilda Read (b. 1886 d. 1973) served as Acting President of Atlanta University from 1936 to 1937 during the interim period between the death of John Hope and the election of his successor. She was President of Spelman College from 1927 to 1953 and also served as Secretary of Atlanta University from 1929 to 1953. She graduated from Mount Holyoke College in 1909 and served as Alumnae Secretary of her alma mater for two years. She became secretary of Reed College in 1911. Before arriving at Spelman, she worked on the International Board of the Rockefeller Foundation for seven years. Upon her retirement from Spelman she was named President Emeritus, and in 1961 she authored The Spelman Story. She died in 1973.