33 Facts About Gloria Blackwell

Gloria Blackwell, known as Gloria Rackley, was an African-American civil rights activist and educator.

Gloria Blackwell was at the center of the Civil Rights Movement in Orangeburg, South Carolina during the 1960s, attracting some national attention and a visit by Dr Martin Luther King of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference.

Gloria Blackwell's activities were widely covered by the local press.

Gloria Blackwell left the state in the 1960s, teaching at colleges and universities.

Gloria Blackwell earned a doctorate at Emory University in 1973, and taught at Clark Atlanta University for 20 years.

Gloria Blackwell's mother was a school teacher, pianist, choir director, community volunteer and daughter of Methodist minister Rev LeGrand Lee Thomas.

Gloria Blackwell attended Mather Academy in Camden, South Carolina and graduated high school in Sumter, South Carolina in 1943.

In 1944, Gloria Blackwell left college to marry James "Jimmy" Becknell.

Gloria Blackwell lost her eldest daughter at the age of 5 in a car accident, which left the mother with a scar on her face.

Gloria Blackwell returned to live in Orangeburg near her family with her two small daughters.

Gloria Blackwell completed her degree at Claflin, graduating with a Bachelor of Science in 1953.

Gloria Blackwell continued with graduate study, receiving a Master of Arts degree in education from South Carolina State University.

Gloria Blackwell later returned to university for additional graduate education, earning a doctorate in 1973 in American studies from Emory University in Atlanta.

Gloria Blackwell became an elementary school teacher in Orangeburg, teaching third grade.

Gloria Blackwell challenged the action in a civil suit and won restoration to her job, but she and her husband decided to leave the area.

Later Gloria Blackwell moved to Virginia for a job teaching English at Norfolk State College, now Norfolk State University.

Gloria Blackwell continued there for her remaining academic career until retirement in 1993.

Gloria Blackwell became active in the Civil Rights Movement in the 1950s, which in Orangeburg was based in the congregation of the Trinity United Methodist Church.

Gloria Blackwell had long been involved with the church, having been president of the Methodist Youth Fellowship on the state level even before entering Claflin as a student; it was a Methodist-founded college.

In October 1961, Gloria Blackwell was arrested for sitting in the whites only waiting area of Orangeburg hospital with her daughter Jamelle, whom she had taken to the emergency room for an injured finger.

Gloria Blackwell had been directed to the "colored" waiting area, a pile of crates and a space next to a soda machine.

Gloria Blackwell was defended in court by Matthew J Perry, whose defense of her was so vigorous that he was charged with contempt of court and briefly jailed.

Gloria Blackwell won her suit, the criminal case was dropped, and the facility was integrated at a time when the state still had segregated public facilities.

Gloria Blackwell, then known by her married name of Rackley, began to participate and lead nonviolent demonstrations to desegregate the schools, hospitals, and other public accommodations in the city.

Gloria Blackwell moved to Norfolk, Virginia, taking a job at Norfolk State University.

Gloria Blackwell said that after losing her child, a scar was unimportant.

Gloria Blackwell was married a total of five times, twice to the same man after an interval of more than 30 years.

Later, to avoid confusion, Gloria Blackwell chose to use her maiden name as her professional name.

In retirement, Gloria Blackwell continued to speak to groups about her experiences in the civil rights movement, encouraging younger people to work for social justice.

Not only did [Gloria Blackwell] put her body on the line at civil rights demonstrations, but she served as a role model for other women who were too frightened to challenge the traditional role that the community had set aside for female behavior.

Gloria Blackwell encouraged the youth because she was a teacher standing up for her rights.

Gloria Blackwell was jailed, maligned, ostracized, and fired from gainful employment because of her activities on behalf of others.

In January 2011, Gloria Blackwell was honored posthumously in Dillon County, the place of her birth, on Martin Luther King Jr.