When it comes to the civil rights movement of the 1950s, women have been and continue to be the backbone. One of those unsung heroes is NJ5’s very own Theodora Smiley Lacey, American civil rights activist and educator. 1/4 
Born in Montgomery, AL, Theodora helped organize the Montgomery bus boycott which lasted 381 days & ended only when the laws requiring segregated buses were struck down as unconstitutional.
After relocating to Teaneck, NJ, Theodora continued her civil rights activism by... 2/4
After relocating to Teaneck, NJ, Theodora continued her civil rights activism by... 2/4
...fighting for fair housing to prohibit racial discrimination in the sale & rental of homes.
Theodora was also instrumental in advocating for open enrollment in public schools in Teaneck, which in 1964 became the 1st town nationwide to integrate its schools through a vote. 3/4
Theodora was also instrumental in advocating for open enrollment in public schools in Teaneck, which in 1964 became the 1st town nationwide to integrate its schools through a vote. 3/4
To honor Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy, we must look for the women leading in our communities and make room for women of color to step up. 4/4
#MLKDay cont’d ... 6 more unsung heroes of the civil rights movement:
Reverend Dr. Pauli Murray, a queer, black feminist priest & one of the most pivotal figures in civil rights & women’s rights history
Reverend Dr. Pauli Murray, a queer, black feminist priest & one of the most pivotal figures in civil rights & women’s rights history
Rev. Dr. Pauli Murray was the only woman & top of her class at Howard Law School.
She became the 1st African American awarded a doctorate in law from Yale and was the 1st African American woman ordained Episcopal priest.
She became the 1st African American awarded a doctorate in law from Yale and was the 1st African American woman ordained Episcopal priest.
Rev. Dr. Pauli Murray’s book “States’ Laws on Race and Color” challenging Jim Crow laws became the “bible” for civil rights lawyers, including the late Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall.
In 1965, Dr. Murray co-authored “Jane Crow and the Law,” which argued that ...
In 1965, Dr. Murray co-authored “Jane Crow and the Law,” which argued that ...
... the Equal Protection Clause in 14th Amendment should be applied to sex discrimination as well.
6 years later, a young lawyer Ruth Bader Ginsburg successfully argued Dr. Murray’s point in Reed v. Reed in front of SCOTUS, laying the legal foundation for women’s equality today
6 years later, a young lawyer Ruth Bader Ginsburg successfully argued Dr. Murray’s point in Reed v. Reed in front of SCOTUS, laying the legal foundation for women’s equality today
Mamie Till Mobley’s 14 yr old son, Emmett Till, was brutally murdered in Mississippi, by two white men who claimed Till had “wolf-whistled” at one of their wives.
When Till’s mutilated corpse was found 3 days later in the Tallahatchie River, Mississippi officials tried to ...
When Till’s mutilated corpse was found 3 days later in the Tallahatchie River, Mississippi officials tried to ...
... dispose of the body, but Mobley obtained court order to have her only child’s remains returned to Chicago.
“I want the world to see what they did to my boy”
100,000 people saw his body lying in casket, the largest single civil rights demonstration in history at the time
“I want the world to see what they did to my boy”
100,000 people saw his body lying in casket, the largest single civil rights demonstration in history at the time
Claudette Colvin boarded a bus in downtown Montgomery on March 2, 1955.
She and 3 other black students were told to give up their seats for a white woman. Claudette did not get up and was arrested. This happened 9 mths before Rosa Parks.
She and 3 other black students were told to give up their seats for a white woman. Claudette did not get up and was arrested. This happened 9 mths before Rosa Parks.
But, Colvin was 15, unwed & pregnant.
So, Parks became the face of Montgomery bus boycott.
Colvin was among the 5 plaintiffs in Browder v. Gayle SCOTUS case challenging bus segregation.
On December 20, 1956, the court ordered Alabama to end bus segregation permanently.
So, Parks became the face of Montgomery bus boycott.
Colvin was among the 5 plaintiffs in Browder v. Gayle SCOTUS case challenging bus segregation.
On December 20, 1956, the court ordered Alabama to end bus segregation permanently.
Diane Nash was a Freedom Rides organizer & chairperson of the Student Nonviolent Coordination Committee which led students in nonviolent sit-ins at segregated lunch counters throughout Nashville to end the discriminatory practices within restaurants.
Diane Nash also helped coordinate the historic 54-mile march from Selma to Montgomery.
“Women developed strategy, taught in citizenship school, and in short, could and did perform all of the tasks necessary for the movement,” Ms. Nash said.
“Women developed strategy, taught in citizenship school, and in short, could and did perform all of the tasks necessary for the movement,” Ms. Nash said.
Dorothy Cotton was rose from administrative assist. to one of the highest-ranking women in Dr. King’s inner circle.
Dorothy taught students how to peacefully protest even as people taunted them, pushed them & threatened their lives.
One of her greatest achievements was ...
Dorothy taught students how to peacefully protest even as people taunted them, pushed them & threatened their lives.
One of her greatest achievements was ...
... the Citizenship Education Program: a program to help blacks register to vote.
Most Southern states created voting laws designed around literacy exercises to disqualify potential African-American voters.
Dorothy created a wave of education throughout local communities.
Most Southern states created voting laws designed around literacy exercises to disqualify potential African-American voters.
Dorothy created a wave of education throughout local communities.
Fannie Lou Hamer was a sharecropper who was fired from her farming job after she tried to register to vote in Mississippi.
She was shot at 16 times in a drive-by shooting by white supremacists, threatened, harassed & assaulted by police while trying to register again.
#MLKDay
She was shot at 16 times in a drive-by shooting by white supremacists, threatened, harassed & assaulted by police while trying to register again.
#MLKDay
Undeterred, Fannie Lou passed the literacy test to become a registered voter.
She joined the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee to mobilize local communities & organize voter registration, Freedom Rides and sit-ins.
Fannie Lou helped thousands become registered voters.
She joined the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee to mobilize local communities & organize voter registration, Freedom Rides and sit-ins.
Fannie Lou helped thousands become registered voters.
