Adolphine Fletcher Terry facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Adolphine Fletcher Terry
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Adolphine Fletcher Terry wedding photo, 1910
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| Born |
Adolphine Fletcher
February 11, 1882 |
| Died | July 25, 1976 (aged 94) Little Rock, Arkansas, US
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| Burial place | Mount Holly Cemetery |
| Monuments | Adolphine Fletcher Terry Library |
| Education | Graduated Vassar College, 1902 |
| Occupation | Political and social activist |
| Organization |
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| Known for | Organizing the Women's Emergency Committee to Open Our Schools |
| Spouse(s) |
David D. Terry
(m. 1910) |
| Children |
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Adolphine Fletcher Terry (1882–1976) was an American activist from Arkansas. She worked to make things better for people. Adolphine helped with social justice, women's rights, and equal rights for all races. She also worked on housing and education issues.
She is best known for leading the Women's Emergency Committee to Open Our Schools (WEC). This group helped reopen public schools in Little Rock, Arkansas. The schools had closed in 1958 during the Crisis at Little Rock Central High. In 2000, the Arkansas Historical Association named her one of the state's most important people.
Contents
Early Life and Learning
Adolphine Fletcher was born in Little Rock, Arkansas, on November 3, 1882. Her family was well-known and important in the community. Her father, John Gould Fletcher (I), was a successful cotton broker and bank president. He also served as mayor of Little Rock.
Her mother, Adolphine Krause, encouraged her children to get a good education. This was because her mother had to leave school early. Adolphine had two younger siblings. Her brother, John Gould Fletcher, became a famous poet. Her sister, Mary Fletcher Drennan, worked for women's voting rights.
In 1889, her family bought a large house at 411 7th Street in Little Rock. This house later became known as the Pike–Fletcher–Terry House. Adolphine grew up, got married, and lived most of her life in this home. It also became the center for her important activist work.
Adolphine learned an early lesson about fairness. A cousin wrongly accused a young Black house servant of stealing a ring. Adolphine realized how dangerous this false accusation was. This event taught her about justice and race relations.
She finished Peabody High School in 1898 and went to college at age 15. She was one of the first Arkansans to attend Vassar College in New York. Vassar taught her to think for herself. It also inspired her to work for social change. A classmate, Lucy Burns, helped her see race issues differently. Adolphine graduated in 1902. A friend said she was "ready to change the world" and kept trying her whole life.
Making a Difference in Public Life
After college, Adolphine joined many local groups. But she wanted to do more than just attend parties. She wanted to help her community. She became a champion for many causes. She used her position to help people who were less fortunate.
Helping with Education
In 1905, Adolphine helped start the Southern Association for College Women. This group allowed college-educated women to talk about important issues. It later became the Arkansas Association for University Women. She also worked to improve schools across Arkansas. She pushed for schools to combine and hire professional leaders. She also helped create the first school improvement group in the state. Adolphine always cared about education. She worked to combine school districts and provide rides for students in rural areas.
Supporting Young People
In 1911, Adolphine was asked to look into juvenile courts. These courts dealt with young people who broke the law. She soon became the head of the juvenile court board for Pulaski County. She and other board members even took children into their own homes. This kept kids out of the state reform school, which was seen as a "place of punishment." Adolphine and the board fought for new schools. This led to the creation of the Boys Industrial School and the Girls Industrial School in 1917.
Adolphine also helped start the African-American branch of the Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) in Little Rock. This YWCA opened in 1921.
Working for Women's Right to Vote
Adolphine was deeply involved in the movement for women's voting rights. Her friend from Vassar, Lucy Burns, was a key leader in this movement. In 1910, Adolphine wrote to a senator asking him to meet with women who supported equal voting rights. Her sister, Mary, started the Political Equality League in 1911. Both sisters worked hard to educate people and push for new laws. After several tries, women in Arkansas gained the right to vote in primary elections in 1917.
Adolphine was a leader for women's suffrage in Arkansas and across the country. In 1916, she led a meeting for the Congressional Union for Woman Suffrage in Little Rock. The group's founder, Alice Paul, spoke there. Adolphine was chosen to be on the national advisory board for the group.
Improving Libraries
Adolphine is very well known for her work with libraries. In 1934, she started working to improve libraries in Arkansas. At that time, there were only three libraries in the whole state. This was due to poor planning and lack of money. Under her guidance, a law was passed to allow local areas to fund public libraries. She was praised for this work throughout her life. She served on the board of the Little Rock Public Library for 40 years, until 1966.
Leading the Women's Emergency Committee
In 1958, Adolphine started the Women's Emergency Committee to Open Our Schools (WEC). This was a very important group formed during the Little Rock Crisis. This crisis was about whether schools should be integrated (have students of all races together). The governor, Orval Faubus, wanted to keep schools separate. Adolphine's leadership of white women in Little Rock was a big challenge to his efforts.
The WEC worked with Black voters and other groups. They successfully removed three school board members who supported segregation. The WEC also showed how the school crisis was hurting Little Rock's economy. Their efforts helped change public opinion and led to the schools reopening in 1959.
Family Life
Adolphine Fletcher married David D. Terry on July 7, 1910. They had four children: David D. Terry Jr., Mary Terry, Sally Terry, and William (Bill) Terry. Their daughter Mary was born with a rare bone condition. The Terrys also adopted Joseph, an orphan who became friends with Mary. Adolphine managed her large family during World War I and her husband's career. She still remained an important person in the Little Rock community.
David D. Terry Sr. was also involved in politics. He served on the Little Rock School Board from 1929 to 1933. He was then elected to the state legislature in 1933. Later, David served two terms in the United States House of Representatives. He passed away in 1963.
Adolphine's son William and his wife Betty continued to be active in Little Rock. Their daughters and families also carry on Adolphine Fletcher Terry’s dedication to making Little Rock better.
Later Life and Lasting Impact
After a serious stroke, Adolphine Fletcher Terry moved from her childhood home. She passed away on July 25, 1976, at 93 years old. She is buried next to her husband in Mount Holly Cemetery in Little Rock.
Adolphine and her sister Mary Fletcher Drennan gave the Pike–Fletcher–Terry House to the City of Little Rock in 1964. It was meant to be used by the Arkansas Arts Center. The home opened as the Decorative Arts Museum on March 24, 1985.
On April 27, 1990, the Central Arkansas Library System named its seventh branch the Adolphine Fletcher Terry Library. This library is in West Little Rock. The opening celebrations included talks, performances, and music. The library cost $1.9 million to build and opened with 22,000 books.
Works
Adolphine Terry was a writer and published several books:
- Courage! (1938)
- Cordelia, Member of the Household (1967)
- Charlotte Stephens, Little Rock’s First Black Teacher (1973)
- Life is My Song, unpublished
