The Friends of the Library will be sponsoring a lecture by author Janis Kearney at the Fine Arts Center Oct. 25 at 7 p.m. The lecture will be followed by a book signing.

   Every year the Friends of the Library hold a meeting and a speaker usually attends. This year Nona Dumas, branch manager of the Monticello Public Library, e-mailed Kearney, inquiring about her speaking fee. Despite her usual fee of $2500 not being in the Friends of the Library’s budget, Kearney agreed to speak on campus for only $500.

   “She wanted to come because she has this passion for literacy,” Dumas said. “She has a strong upbringing in education.”

   Born in Gould, Ark., Janis grew up as one of Ethel and James Kearney’s 17 children. She graduated high school in Gould and earned a Bachelor’s Degree of Arts in Journalism from the University of Arkansas. Kearney later wrote two books that received publishing: “Cotton Field of Dreams” (2004) and “William Jefferson Clinton, from Hope to Harlem” (2006).

   “Cotton Field of Dreams” documents three decades of Kearney’s life, ending just prior to her time with the Clinton Administration, where she served as President Clinton’s personal diarist. The book tells of a pre-civil rights south where education remained unavailable to many African Americans.

   “I read her book 'Cotton Field of Dreams,' which is an autobiography,” Dumas said. “They picked cotton every day from sun up to sun down. Then they went home and got the books out and studied. Not one of these children were behind when they went back to school. That kind of learning should be celebrated. They were taught to enjoy learning.”

   Kearney worked for the state for several years before purchasing the Arkansas Press Newspaper from renowned civil rights activist Daisy Bates. After publishing the weekly paper for five years, she joined the Clinton campaign team.

   Kearney served as President Bill Clinton’s personal diarist from 1995 to 2001, which entailed chronicling the day-to-day activities of the presidency. Her most recent book, “William Jefferson Clinton, from Hope to Harlem,” serves as a compilation of over 100 interviews of African Americans from all walks of life about Bill Clinton’s race legacy, his leadership and his presidency.

   “What I liked best about the Clinton book was what was not about Clinton,” Dumas said. “It was a history of Arkansas state politics.”

   Of the 17 Kearney siblings, Janis is the sixth youngest. Fifteen of her 16 siblings graduated college and at least nine became lawyers. All of their names begin with the letter “j.” Her father remains alive and recently turned 100 years old.

   “The older ones (siblings) had gone off to college by the time she was born,” Dumas said. “Because of where she was in the birth scale, she almost became a mother to the younger ones.”

   Sandra Campbell, director of the Fred J. Taylor Library, has played a prominent role in promoting the upcoming lecture. She heard Kearney speak in McGehee.

   “I think she is a fantastic speaker,” Campbell said.

   In 2002, Kearney began a literacy project, WOW! (Writing our World) Institute. She works with children of different cultures to encourage their participation in reading and literacy

   The Friends of the Library urges everyone to attend the lecture and to bring their children and grandchildren. Dumas said she hoped students would benefit in seeing the importance of reading and the value of learning.

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