Theresa Ann Cameron (January 29, 1954, in Buffalo, New York[1] – May 2012) was the first African-American woman to be awarded tenure in the College of Design at Arizona State University, in 2000.
Her difficult childhood experiences are chronicled in her book Foster Care Odyssey in America: A Black Girl's Story published in 2002,[2] and detailed by Christel Hyden.
The move to fire Cameron was strongly opposed by the University Faculty Senate (Committee on Academic Freedom and Tenure), who were overruled by Crow.
Cameron filed suit on August 13, 2006, in the U.S. District Court in Phoenix seeking an injunction and other relief against the Arizona Board of Regents and Arizona State University, alleging violations of federal civil rights and employment laws that make it unlawful to discriminate on the basis of disability (the Americans with Disabilities Act), gender or race.
She alleged her support for a minority colleague, and a refused appeal to her Dean, Wellington Reiter, about her lower than average salary, were examples of workplace discrimination.