Dr. Selamawit D. Terrefe

Dr. Selamawit D. Terrefe (1970–2024)

Revolutionary Thinker, Beloved Wife, and Force for Change

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Dr. Selamawit D. Terrefe—scholar, mentor, yogi, friend, and loving wife—passed away peacefully in her sleep on November 2, 2024, at the age of 53, after a courageous battle with neuroendocrine pancreatic cancer.

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She was an Assistant Professor of African American Literature and Culture at Tulane University and a 2022–2024 Williams College Faculty Fellow. Her brilliant research on anti-Black violence transformed academic conversations and touched lives far beyond the classroom. She brought radical clarity, tenderness, and depth to everything she did.

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In her final two years, Selamawit lived a profound love story with her wife, Tinora Locke -Terrefe. Though they were friends first, they married shortly after her diagnosis and never spent a night apart. Together, they traveled across the U.S. and to five countries—swimming with sea turtles, savoring sunsets, and living each moment with intention.

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Defying doctors’ projections, she lived two powerful years filled with travel, laughter, and celebration. Even while enduring intensive treatment, Selamawit remained devoted not to a job, but to her passion. In that time, she published four articles, delivered five lectures (including two abroad), and completed two forthcoming works. Her first book—long-awaited and deeply anticipated—will stand as a lasting testament to her legacy.

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A private memorial was held on May 25, 2025, at Bethesda Fountain in Central Park—the place where she and Tinora were married.

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Selamawit’s legacy lives on through her loved ones, her writing, her students, and the deep love she shared for Black people the world over. She is endlessly missed, yet her presence continues to move through those who carry her words, her vision, and her memory.

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And she was loved.

-Song of Solomon