Christia Adair facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Christia Adair
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| Born | October 22, 1893 |
| Died | December 31, 1989 (aged 96) |
| Alma mater | Samuel Huston College Prairie View State Normal and Industrial College |
| Occupation | Teacher Co-founder, Harris County Democrats |
| Spouse(s) |
Elbert H. Adair
(m. 1918; died 1943) |
| Parents |
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| Honours | Texas Women's Hall of Fame, 1984 |
Christia V. Daniels Adair (born October 22, 1893 – died December 31, 1989) was an important African-American leader. She worked hard for women's right to vote and for civil rights in Texas. A park and a special mural in Texas are named after her to honor her life and work.
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Early Life and Education
Christia V. Daniels was born in 1893 in Victoria, Texas. She grew up in Edna, Texas. Her mother, Ada Crosby Daniels, was a laundress, and her father, Hardy Daniels, ran a hauling business. Christia had an older half-sister and two younger brothers.
Her Christian faith was very important to her from a young age. She attended Samuel Huston College. Later, she trained to be a teacher at Prairie View State Normal and Industrial College. She graduated in 1915.
Fighting for Equal Rights
Christia Daniels taught in public schools in Edna for three years. In 1918, she married Elbert H. Adair and moved to Kingsville, Texas. There, she joined a women's group. They worked to stop gambling and gathered signatures to help women get the right to vote.
Even after women won the right to vote, Christia faced a big problem. In Texas, Black Americans were not allowed to vote in primary elections. She was turned away from a polling place, even though she was allowed to register. This unfair experience made Christia decide to dedicate her life to the civil rights movement.
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In 1925, she moved to Houston. She joined the local chapter of the NAACP in 1943. The NAACP is a group that fights for the rights of Black Americans. From 1949 to 1959, she was the executive secretary for the Houston NAACP. This was a time when the group faced many challenges, including threats. Christia bravely refused to give the police the group's membership list, believing they wanted to harm the chapter.
Christia Adair worked tirelessly to end segregation in Houston. She helped make sure that Black people could use public places like the Houston Public Library, the airport, hospitals, and public transportation. She also fought for Black Texans to be able to serve on juries and get county jobs.
She helped start the Harris County Democrats, a group that included people of all races. In 1966, she was the first African-American woman chosen for the state's Democratic Executive Committee. She also played an active role in her church, the Methodist Episcopal Church. She was the first woman to serve on the church's general board.
Honors and Legacy
Christia Adair was honored for her important work during her lifetime. A county park and a community center in Houston are named after her. The park features a special mural by artist John T. Biggers that tells the story of her life. In 1984, she was recognized for her achievements and inducted into the Texas Women's Hall of Fame.
Personal Life
Christia Daniels Adair became a widow in 1943. She passed away in 1989 at the age of 96. Her important papers and records are kept safe at the Houston Public Library, in the African American Library at the Gregory School.
See also
