Andy Dinniman Delivers the 2022 Clifford DeBaptiste Lecture
Andy Dinniman, WCU professor emeritus, retired Pennsylvania senator, and a leader
for communities, families, and taxpayers throughout more than 45 years of public service
in the Commonwealth, is delivering the 2022 Dr. Clifford E. DeBaptiste Frederick Douglass
Lecture on Thursday, October 13, at West Chester University. Dinniman’s topic is “The
Life and Legacy of Frederick Douglass in the America of 2022.” The event, which is
free and open to the public, takes place at 3 p.m. in the Philips Autograph Library,
Philips Memorial Building, University Avenue and South High Street.
The DeBaptiste Frederick Douglass Lecture is an educational and cultural resource for advancing multicultural studies across the community and for deepening the intellectual heritage of Frederick Douglass. It is hosted annually by the Frederick Douglass Institute and is made possible through the generous gift of Dr. Clifford DeBaptiste, the first African‐American mayor of West Chester Borough and a recognized champion of education.
A resident of West Whiteland Township, Dinniman was first elected to the Pennsylvania Senate, representing Chester County in Pennsylvania’s 19th District, in 2006 and reelected in 2008, 2012, and 2016. In the Senate, he served as minority chairman of the Education Committee (2008-2020) and became known as a champion of equitable education and opportunity for all students. Now retired from the Senate, he manages the Education PAC, an organization dedicated to providing equitable opportunities in the changing education landscape.
Before being elected state Senator, Dinniman was elected to four terms as Chester County Commissioner (1992 to 2006), making him the longest-serving commissioner in county history.
Dinniman was a WCU professor from 1972 to 2020 and remains connected to the University. He served WCU as the director of the Center for International Programs (1986-2005) and director of the Center for Ethnic Studies (1979-1983). He was a faculty leader and visiting professor on many educational and service trips abroad, including to China, Japan, India, England, Poland, and Grenada. He created and directed WCU’s Guanajuato Mexico Program for students as well as health care workers and teachers from Chester County (2000-2005). He earned the President’s Medallion for Service in 2015.
Dinniman has been extensively recognized for his service, teaching, and humanitarianism, including receiving the 2022 Lifetime Achievement Award from the Greater West Chester Chamber of Commerce and the 2020 Citizen of the Year from the Chester County Chamber of Business and Industry. He continues to serve on several boards including the Chester County History Center Board (2008-present), the Animal Care PA Board, PA Medical Veterinary Foundation (2022-present), and the Lincoln University Board of Trustees (2013-present).
The goal of the Dr. Clifford E. DeBaptiste Frederick Douglass Lecture is to maintain the legacy of the great abolitionist, orator, and statesman Frederick Douglass before the campus community, local community, region, and the nation.
The mission of West Chester University’s Frederick Douglass Institute is to maintain the legacy of the great abolitionist, orator, and statesman before the campus community, local community, region, and the nation through academic programming that promotes excellence in scholarship, teaching, and institutional advancement. The Institute is an educational and cultural resource for advancing multicultural studies across the curriculum and for deepening the intellectual heritage of Frederick Douglass, the former slave, distinguished orator, journalist, author, and statesman. Douglass, who was a frequent visitor to the West Chester area, gave his last public lecture on West Chester’s campus on February 1, 1895, just 19 days before his death.