Annie Stein facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Annie Stein
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Annie Stein (August 1979) at memorial service for David Rein (co-counsel to the Coordinating Committee)
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Annie Steckler
March 3, 1913 |
| Died | May 13, 1981 (aged 68) |
| Nationality | American |
| Spouse(s) | Arthur Stein (activist) |
| Children | Eleanor Raskin |
| Parent(s) | Philip Steckler |
| Relatives | Thai Jones |
Annie Stein was an important civil rights activist. She worked hard to end unfair treatment in Washington, D.C. She helped make sure that everyone, no matter their race, could go to theaters, restaurants, and department stores.
Contents
Early Life and Activism
Annie Steckler was born in Brooklyn, New York. Her parents came from Ukraine. Annie grew up seeing how hard life could be for people who were poor or treated unfairly.
She earned a scholarship to attend Hunter College. In the 1930s, she left her studies to help the Scottsboro Boys. These were nine African-American boys who were wrongly accused of a crime. This protest was the start of her long career fighting for justice. After college, Annie moved to Washington, D.C. She spent her life working against unfair treatment in jobs, public places, and schools.
Fighting for Fairness
Annie Stein started working for the government at the Works Progress Administration. But she soon decided that fighting for people's rights was more important. In the late 1930s, she became the leader of the Women's Trade Union League. Here, she helped workers organize and protest for better conditions.
During World War II, Annie joined the Congress of Industrial Organizations. She worked with the Office of Price Administration. Her job was to make sure stores and restaurants did not raise prices too much. She even organized a citywide strike against high food prices. Her protest signs said, "Don’t buy meat over six cents a pound." She collected over 40,000 signatures. This helped keep milk and meat prices stable for a few weeks.
Annie's work became even more important when she met Mary Church Terrell. Terrell was another famous civil rights leader.
Ending Segregation in D.C.
In the mid-1940s, Annie and Mary Church Terrell worked together. They fought against segregation in Washington, D.C. Segregation meant that Black people were kept separate from white people. They couldn't go to the same restaurants, theaters, or shops.
Annie and Terrell created a group called the Coordinating Committee. This group worked to end racial discrimination. Annie was the secretary for Terrell, who called her "the greatest secretary in the world."
The Committee used old laws from 1872. These "lost laws" said that segregation was not allowed in the city. But these laws had been forgotten. The Committee argued that they were still valid.
The Thompson's Restaurant Case
One of Annie's biggest protests happened in 1950. The Committee sent a group of people, both Black and white, to Thompson's restaurant. The owner refused to serve the Black customers. He said, "We don’t serve colored."
The Coordinating Committee took the restaurant to court. They said Thompson's had broken the "lost laws." These laws stated that businesses should serve "any respectable, well-behaved person without regard to race, color or previous condition of servitude."
It took a long time, but the case finally went to court in 1953. President Dwight Eisenhower supported their cause. On June 8, 1953, the court agreed with Annie and the Committee. They said the anti-discrimination laws were valid. These laws helped end segregation in Washington, D.C. This was a huge victory!
The Trailway Bus Station Incident
Not every protest was a complete success. At a bus station, the snack counter refused to serve Black customers. The Committee demanded they integrate. The managers finally allowed Black customers. But then, they removed all the stools! This meant everyone, Black and white, had to stand up for their drinks.
Annie wrote about this in the Washington Post. She said it showed how some people would rather make things worse for everyone than treat people fairly. This incident showed how hard it was to change old ideas about race.
Working for School Equality
In the mid-1950s, Annie moved back to New York. She continued her fight for social justice. She joined the Parents Teacher Association (PTA) in Brooklyn. Here, she worked to make schools fairer for everyone.
Annie wanted better education for low-income children. Many of these children were Black and Puerto Rican. She asked city leaders to allow students to transfer to different schools. She believed any change would help poor children get a better education.
In 1964, Annie organized a big protest. She called for a one-day boycott of the school system. On February 3, 1964, known as Freedom Day, half a million children skipped school. This boycott showed how much the community wanted equal education.
Annie believed that unfairness in schools came from unfairness in society. She said that schools should not reflect society's racism. Instead, they should protect children from it. Annie kept fighting for disadvantaged people until she passed away. In the 1970s, she worked for Milton A. Galamison, who was on the New York City Board of Education. She used this job to push for school integration across the city.
Personal Life
Annie Steckler married Arthur Stein (activist) in 1933. They had a son, Philip, and a daughter, Eleanor Raskin.
Annie Stein passed away in 1981 at the age of 68.
Legacy
Annie Stein had a clear plan for her activism: "Negotiate, boycott, picket." She believed this helped people learn about unfair places. It also put pressure on leaders to change laws.
She worked with other amazing activists like Mary Church Terrell and Ella Baker. These women helped shape Annie's ideas about fairness for everyone. Annie had strong beliefs about how society should be fair. She believed in fighting for lower school fees, for the rights of Black people, and for fair wages. Her strong beliefs about justice guided her throughout her life.
See Also
- Arthur Stein (activist)
- Eleanor Raskin
