Anna L. Cooke, who served on the staff at Lane College, a historically Black educational institution in Jackson, Tennessee, for a quarter century, died on June 28 at the Jackson Madison County Hospital. She was 91 years old.
Cooke was a 1944 graduate of Lane College and went on to earn a master’s degree in library science at Atlanta University. After working in the public schools, Cooke joined the staff at Lane College in 1963. She served in a wide variety of roles including library director, editor of the Lane College Reporter, director of public relations, and head of the office of alumni affairs.
Cooke was the author of the 1987 book, Lane College: Its Heritage and Outreach, 1882-1982. For her many efforts on behalf of the college, Cooke was awarded an honorary doctorate in 1993 and the archival room at the college’s library is named in her honor.
