Earned a bachelor's degree in English from Virginia Union University in 1971 and a PhD from Auburn University in 1980. She was also a Fulbright scholar who studied in Nanjing, China.
In 2007, she released a book called "Raising Kanye: Life Lessons From the Mother of a Hip-Hop Superstar".
Previously taught in the early 1970s at Morris Brown College in Atlanta.
She served as chief executive of West Brands, the parent company of Kanye's business enterprises, and as chairwoman of the Kanye West Foundation, a nonprofit that works to decrease dropout rates and improve literacy.
Was professor and chair of the English Department at Chicago State University from 1980 to 2004, and retired to become her son's manager.
Former chairwoman of Chicago State University's English department.
A member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated.