Community Celebrates Life of Beloved Professor Emerita Chinosole

GOLDEN GATE XPRESS -- Amidst civil war in the African country of Angola, Patricia Thornton partnered with native refugees and warriors in their fight for independence in the 1970s. Thornton’s commitment to the cause touched the hearts of those in the community, leading them to bestow her the name “Chinosole,” meaning “That to which we aspire but is difficult to achieve … freedom,” former student and English lecturer Jennifer Beach said. Chinosole, SF State professor emeritus, died October 4, 2014, in Oakland at age 72. Loved ones, colleagues and members of the campus community gathered January 4 in Oakland to commemorate her life and the legacy she left behind. She was also a founding member of the Black Studies Department, making her an integral part of campus history, according to Women and Gender Studies Chair Deborah Cohler. “She was an amazing mentor to students on campus, as well as off campus, and really touched the lives of a lot of people,” Cohler said.