John B. Ervin Scholars Program

Wilmetta Toliver-Diallo obtained a B.A. in History from Spelman College and an A.M. and Ph.D. from Stanford University in History with a specialty in African Studies. She completed her doctoral research in Senegal where she focused on the history and memory of Aline Sitoe Diatta, a rainmaker from the Casamance active during the Second World War.

Prior to joining the College of Arts & Sciences, Wilmetta lived in France and taught English at Lycee Emile DuBois in Paris. She also served as a consultant with the United Nations on a project evaluating both civic education and small arms proliferation in West Africa. She was a Post-Doctoral Fellow at Washington University for two years before joining the faculty at Bard College.
Her research and teaching interests include cultural history, religion, film, and gender. She is the point person for the Junior Year in the College Office, director of the Washington University Senegal Summer Program, and coordinator of Washington University’s annual African Film Festival.  In addition to her work with the Ervin Program, she works with various other groups including the African Students Association and Black Anthology. Wilmetta is active within the St. Louis community, volunteering with the Saint Louis, Missouri-Senegal Sister Cities Committee and the St. Louis Metropolitan Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Though at the University since 2005, she joined the Ervin staff in 2007 and enjoys seeing the Ervin Scholars make connections with one another.