American Change Agent: A Life & Legacy of Seeking Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion
by Dr. John F. Leeke
with Ananda Kiamsha Madelyn Leeke
Photo and Blog Highlights from Spring, Summer & Fall 2026 Events
Read blog post about April book event for local authors at Busboys and Poets.
Read blog post about May book reading and community conversation at Next Chapter Book Shop and Cafe in Hagerstown, Maryland.
Read blog post about June book discussion with Two Rivers Unity and Presence Book Club.
Read blog post about June book talk and signing at a DC senior assisted living residence.
Read blog post and watch video of June virtual event entitled “Celebrate Your Family History As American History: Book & Group Discussion.”
Read blog post and watch video of meeting with the Mayor of Hagerstown, Maryland and the City Council in August.
Read blog post about Caroline County Public Library’s “Footsteps to Freedom” Conversation in September.
Read blog post about City of Hagerstown, Maryland presenting the Leek/Leeke Family with a proclamation honoring their ancestors’ Underground Railroad journey in September.
Read blog post about the Family History Conversation at the Reginald Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History and Culture in September.
Press Release
Media Coverage & Event Videos
Hagerstown Mayor and City Council’s Proclamation Presentation Honoring the Leek/Leeke Family’s Underground Railroad Journey (September 15, 2026; Start watching at 14.61 minute mark)
Busboys and Poets’ Author Next Door Series (April 19, 2026; Start watching at the 1.18 minute 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
