Dorothy Counts facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dorothy Counts
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| Born | March 25, 1942 Charlotte, North Carolina, United States
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| Nationality | American |
| Known for | Civil rights activism |
Dorothy "Dot" Counts-Scoggins (born March 25, 1942) is an American civil rights hero. She was one of the first Black students to attend Harry Harding High School. This happened during a time when schools were still separated by race.
Dorothy faced a lot of unfair treatment and bullying. After four days, her parents decided to take her out of the school for her safety. But pictures of Dorothy bravely walking through angry crowds were seen all over the world. These images helped show everyone the challenges of the Civil Rights Movement.
Contents
Early Life and Family
Dorothy Counts-Scoggins was born in Charlotte, North Carolina. She grew up near Johnson C. Smith University. Both of her parents worked there. She was the only daughter among four children. Her father was a professor, and her mother managed a dormitory.
Dorothy's family really valued education. Many of her aunts and uncles were teachers. Her three older brothers and her parents always protected her.
Going to Harry Harding High School
In 1956, a plan called the Pearsall Plan was passed. After this, many Black students in North Carolina applied to transfer to white schools. Dorothy's father was asked by Kelly Alexander Sr. if his children would apply. Dorothy and two of her brothers applied. Only Dorothy was accepted into an all-white school.
On September 4, 1957, when she was 15, Dorothy became one of four Black students to attend previously all-white schools in Charlotte. She went to Harry Harding High School. Other students went to Central High, Piedmont Junior High, and Alexander Graham Junior High.
First Day at School
Dorothy's father and a family friend, Edwin Thompkins, dropped her off. Their car couldn't get close to the entrance. Edwin offered to walk Dorothy to the school door. As she got out, her father told her, "Hold your head high. You are inferior to no one."
About 200 to 300 people were in the crowd, mostly students. The harassment began right away. A woman urged others to "keep her out" and "spit on her." Dorothy walked by without reacting. She later told reporters that people threw rocks at her. Students formed walls, but moved at the last moment to let her pass. A photographer named Douglas Martin took a famous picture of Dorothy. This photo won the 1957 World Press Photo of the Year.
Inside the school, the harassment continued. Dorothy heard many mean racial slurs. She said no adults helped or protected her. In her homeroom, she was ignored. After school, her parents asked if she wanted to keep going. Dorothy said yes, hoping things would get better.
Challenges Continue
Dorothy felt sick the next day and stayed home. She returned to school on Monday. This time, there was no crowd outside. But students and teachers were still surprised and continued to bother her. In class, she was placed at the back and ignored by her teacher.
On Tuesday, during lunch, a group of boys surrounded her and spat in her food. She went outside and met another new student. They talked about being new to Charlotte. Dorothy felt better that she had made a friend. She asked her parents to pick her up for lunch after that.
On Wednesday, Dorothy saw the girl she had befriended. But the girl ignored Dorothy and looked down. During lunch, someone threw a blackboard eraser at her head. When she went outside to meet her oldest brother for lunch, she saw a crowd around their car. The back windows were shattered. Dorothy said this was the first time she felt truly afraid. Her family was now being attacked.
Dorothy told her family what happened. Her father called the superintendent and the police. The superintendent said he didn't know what was happening. The police chief said they couldn't guarantee Dorothy's safety. After these calls, her father decided to take her out of the school. He said: "It is with compassion for our native land and love for our daughter Dorothy that we withdraw her as a student at Harding High School. As long as we felt she could be protected from bodily injury and insults within the school's walls and upon the school premises, we were willing to grant her desire to study at Harding."
Life After Harry Harding High School
Dorothy's parents wanted her to attend a school where students of all races learned together. They wanted her to see that not all white people were the same. She moved to Yeadon, Pennsylvania, to live with her aunt and uncle. She finished her sophomore year at an integrated public school there. Her aunt and uncle talked to the principal about Dorothy's experiences. A meeting was held to make sure Dorothy would be treated well. She later found out about this meeting.
Dorothy enjoyed her time in Yeadon, but she missed home. After her sophomore year, she went to Allen School. This was a private all-girls school in Asheville, North Carolina. The students were not integrated, but the teachers were. Dorothy graduated from Allen School.
She then returned to Charlotte and attended Johnson C. Smith University. She earned a degree in Psychology in 1964. In 1962, she joined the Delta Sigma Theta sorority.
After college, Dorothy moved to New York. She worked with children who had been abused or neglected. Later, she moved back to Charlotte. She continued to work with non-profit groups helping children from low-income families. She is still involved with her university. She also works to preserve the history of Beatties Ford Road.
Recognition and Legacy
In 2006, Dorothy received an email from a man named Woody Cooper. He admitted he was one of the boys in the famous picture. He wanted to apologize. They met for lunch. Cooper asked for her forgiveness. Dorothy replied, "I forgave you a long time ago, this is opportunity to do something for our children and grandchildren."
They decided to share their story together. They did many interviews and speaking events. In 2008, Dorothy Counts-Scoggins and seven other people were honored. They received the Old North State Award from Governor Mike Easley for helping integrate North Carolina's public schools. In 2010, Harding High School renamed its library in Dorothy's honor. This is a special honor, rarely given to living people.
In the 2016 Netflix documentary I Am Not Your Negro, writer James Baldwin talked about seeing photos of Dorothy. He wrote that it made him "furious and filled me with both hatred and pity and it made me ashamed--One of us should have been there with her." Dorothy Counts-Scoggins is remembered for her courage and strength during a difficult time in American history.
See also
In Spanish: Dorothy Counts para niños
