Dovie Thurman facts for kids

Little Dovie Thurman (born in 1946 – died April 7, 1997) was a dedicated community activist. She spent her life helping to improve the lives of people in communities with fewer resources. Dovie is best known for her work in Chicago during the 1960s, fighting for what were called welfare rights. This meant making sure people had fair access to support when they needed it.

Thurman worked with a group called J.O.I.N. (Jobs or Income Now) in Chicago. She also helped another group, Uptown Voices. Both groups worked to get good, affordable homes for people in the Uptown, Chicago area. As a leader, Dovie helped people in the community get involved. They worked together to improve housing and manage community projects.

About Dovie Thurman

Dovie Thurman was born in Chicago, Illinois, in 1946. Her family and friends called her "Little Dovie." This was to tell her apart from her aunt, Dovie Coleman, who they called "Big Dovie." When Dovie was only one year old, her father passed away. Her grandmother then raised her.

In 1965, Dovie moved back to Chicago. She had lived in St. Louis, Missouri for some years. She settled in the Uptown neighborhood with her two children. At that time, Dovie was 19 years old. Her husband was serving in Vietnam.

How Dovie Became an Activist

Dovie Thurman started her work as a community activist in 1965. That same year, she met Peggy Terry in Uptown. Peggy was a white worker from the South who had moved to the neighborhood. She was also a civil rights activist.

By 1966, a local group called Jobs or Income Now (JOIN) became very popular. Students and residents joined its efforts to help people escape poverty in cities. Important organizers like Rennie Davis and Richard Rothstein were part of JOIN. They worked to encourage local people to take political action.

JOIN had early successes. They held a sit-in at the city welfare office. They also organized tenant strikes. These actions led to agreements between renters and landlords. These efforts often upset local leaders.

JOIN moved its main office to the Uptown neighborhood. This allowed them to focus on many important community issues. These included welfare, housing conditions, unemployment, and police unfairness. More student organizers came to Chicago. JOIN also welcomed many community members. These new members became a strong part of the organization.

Peggy Terry, Candy Hockenberry, Dovie Thurman, her aunt Big Dovie, and Virginia Bowers joined JOIN around the same time. These five women became close friends. Together, they led JOIN's welfare committee. They also became the main force behind the group's housing rights work.

Dovie Thurman was the chairperson for the welfare committee. She remembered her time with JOIN as her first step into the civil rights movement. It was also her first time meeting poor white people. "I had never seen poor white people," Dovie said. After meeting these women, she realized, "We found out we had more in common than we ever thought. It's because we began to communicate." Her work with JOIN was a big learning experience. It brought two different communities together to create a powerful movement in Uptown.

Dovie's Important Work

Dovie Thurman was highly respected in her community. She worked as an activist on many social issues. One of her biggest achievements was the "Know Your Rights" campaign for welfare. She traveled to different communities to teach people. She explained how important it was to know about the welfare system. She also taught them how to speak up for themselves within the system.

Dovie spent most of her life working for civil rights. She worked not only in Chicago but also in Alabama and Washington D.C. She decided to share her story of activism. Her old friend Studs Terkel recorded her story as an oral history. This interview was part of a series about community organizers. Thurman's interview finally showed the feelings and challenges faced by women like her. She had fought humbly for years without formal recognition for her work.

Dovie's Passing

Dovie Thurman's documentary was finished only a month before she passed away. When reporting on her death, Mary Schmich of the Chicago Tribune wrote: "Thurman gave her own heart away, marching and protesting and speechifying on behalf of poor people, never mind that for years the doctors told her to sit still, lie down, stay quiet. Some politicians would have been happier if she'd obeyed."

On April 7, 1997, Dovie Thurman died in Chicago, Illinois. She was 51 years old. Her death was caused by heart failure. Dovie is survived by her three children: James, Kim, and Lynn.

Dovie's Legacy

The Toby Prinz-Dovie Thurman annual award dinner is held by Northside Action 4 Justice. This event honors Dovie's lasting impact and dedication to community activism.