Kimmika Williams-Witherspoon

Kimmika Williams-Witherspoon is a Senior Associate Dean of Strategic Initiatives and Innovation in the Center for the Performing and Cinematic Arts at Temple University and a Full Professor in the Theater Department of the School of Theater, Film and Media Arts. She specializes in Urban Theater and Community Engagement. Previously, she served as Immediate-past President of the Faculty Senate at Temple University.

Williams-Witherspoon holds advanced degrees including a PhD in Cultural Anthropology, M.A. in Anthropology, MFA in Theater, and a Graduate Certificate in Women's Studies. Her interdisciplinary work bridges scholarship, performance, and activism. She has authored two books on African American Theater, numerous journal articles, and 11 poetry collections. Her research focuses on pedagogy, women’s issues, African diaspora studies, performance rituals, and community engagement.

Her artistic contributions include over 28 produced plays, 20 productions, 13 staged readings, and 8 one-woman shows. She has performed poetry globally and contributed to 49 literary anthologies. Her work often intersects with social justice themes, using performance to address racial trauma and institutional inequities. Notable publications include Through Smiles and Tears: The History of African American Theater (2011) and The Secret Messages in African American Theater (2006).

Williams-Witherspoon’s scholarly articles explore topics such as poetic ethnography, racial dynamics in academia, and August Wilson’s dramatic legacy. She has received multiple awards and citations for her contributions to theater and education. Her interdisciplinary approach emphasizes empowering marginalized voices through hybrid pedagogical practices and community-driven performance.