Harriette Louise Bias-Insignares, Ph.D., Class of 1964

Dr. Harriette Louise Bias-Insignares, Nashville, TN, Age 71, passed away May 10, 2015. Proceeded in death by husbands, Warren Allen and Jorge Insignares. Survived by her four children, Tracy Marcette (Ronald Robbins) Allen, Heather Lenae Allen (Felix) Ojango, Jorge Eric (Danielle) Insignares, JuanCarlos Antonio Insignares; grandson, J. Samuel Insignares; brothers, Chief Master/Sgt. Caleb Thomas (Olga) Bias and Rev. Joseph Augustus Bias; a host of other relatives & friends.

Dr. Insignares was a retired educator and taught Head Start to Tennessee State University. She was a graduate of Fisk University, BA, the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, MST, and George Peabody College of Vanderbilt. She was a faithful member of John Wesley United Methodist Church, proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated, the Music City Chapter of the Links, Incorporated (charter member), and the Consortium of Doctors (founding member).

Dr. Bias-Insignares holds the distinction of being the first African American Poet Laureate/Ambassador of Letters for the State of Tennessee and first official Poet Laureate for the city of Nashville. She joined the faculty at Tennessee State University as an associate professor of Communications, a position she held from 1981 until 2000