American Change Agent: A Life & Legacy of Seeking Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion
by Dr. John F. Leeke
with Ananda Kiamsha Madelyn Leeke
Summer 2026 Events
Book Discussion with Two Rivers Unity and Presence Book Club on June 24th (Private Event)
Celebrating Family History As American History Book Talk & Signing at a DC Senior Assisted Living Residence on June 25th (Private Event)
Free Virtual Event: Celebrate Your Family History As American History: Book & Group Discussion on June 27th at 3-4 p.m. ET via Zoom
Press Release
Media Coverage
Busboys and Poets’ Author Next Door Series (April 19, 2026; Start watching at the 1.18 mark)
The Amherstburg Freedom Museum’s Virtual Black History Series Presentation on The Leeke Family’s Legacy of Freedom Seekers from Hagerstown to Amherstburg (January 26, 2026)
American Change Agent Featured in The Aurora Magazine (Fall/Winter 2025 Issue) published by Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority
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Learn More About the Book
Discover the rich, inspiring journey of Dr. John F. Leeke, a descendant of the Akan people of Ghana, the Yoruba people of Nigeria, Indigenous Turtle Island nations, European settlers, and freedom seekers who escaped slavery in Hagerstown, Maryland. This collection of stories spans 85 years of Dr. Leeke’s life, showcasing his family, career, and dedication to diversity, equality, and inclusion.
Explore Dr. Leeke’s early years in Indianapolis and Terre Haute, Indiana, his Catholic education in Washington, DC, and his academic pursuits at Indiana State Teachers College. Follow his career as a teacher and guidance counselor in Flint, Michigan, his graduate studies at the University of Michigan, and his impactful work in community organizing and organizational development.
Learn how Dr. Leeke’s leaps of faith in various roles, including his tenure at the National Education Association and his entrepreneurial ventures, solidified his commitment to diversity, equality, and inclusion. His reflections on six decades of diversity, equality, and inclusion work reveal the institutional changes he championed and his ongoing influence in retirement through church involvement, civic engagement, and online activism.
Dr. Leeke’s stories are an invitation to reflect on your own journey, embrace humanity’s diversity, and become a change agent in your community.
Read Author Bios
Ananda Leeke 