Elaine J. Coates facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Elaine J. Coates
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| Born | September 15, 1937 |
| Alma mater | University of Maryland, College Park (BA) |
| Occupation | Social worker, educator |
| Known for | First African American graduate of University of Maryland |
Elaine Johnson Coates (born September 15, 1937) is an American social worker and educator. She is famous for being the first African American student to graduate from the University of Maryland, College Park.
Contents
Elaine Coates: A Trailblazer
Early Life and Education
Elaine Coates was born in Baltimore, Maryland, on September 15, 1937. Her mother was a domestic worker and her father worked for the railroad. Elaine went to Frederick Douglass High School, which was a segregated school at the time. This meant that Black and white students went to separate schools.
Making History at Maryland
After a very important court decision called Brown v. Board of Education, which said that separating students by race in schools was against the law, Elaine enrolled at the University of Maryland in 1955. She was one of only a few African American students allowed to live on campus.
Her high school counselor actually told her to get a job instead of going to college. But with her mother's encouragement, Elaine wrote her own letter of recommendation. This helped her earn a four-year scholarship!
While at the university, Elaine lived in Caroline Hall. She sometimes faced threats and insults, and was not always treated fairly by her professors. Even so, she was a member of the Red Cross Club. In 1959, Elaine graduated from the College of Education. She made history as the first African American student to graduate from the University of Maryland, College Park.
A Career of Helping Others
After college, Elaine Coates became a social worker and an educator. She taught for a while at the same high school she had attended. Later, she earned a master's degree in social work and got a special license to help people as a social worker.
She worked at the Johns Hopkins Hospital, providing social services to patients who had serious injuries or illnesses. Even after she retired in 2006, she continued to help people by volunteering her time for counseling.
Elaine's dedication to education continued through her family. Both her daughter and son also attended the University of Maryland.
Honoring Her Legacy
Awards and Recognition
Elaine Coates has received many honors for her important contributions. In April 2019, she was the first person to receive a new annual award from the University of Maryland Alumni Association. This award recognizes someone who has done a lot to promote diversity and inclusion around the world. The award was then named in her honor, becoming the "Elaine Johnson Coates Award."
In May 2019, Elaine was celebrated at the University of Maryland's graduation ceremony. She spoke to the graduating class, saying that seeing the diverse faces of the students showed her that her journey "mattered."
The University of Maryland gave Elaine Coates an honorary doctorate degree in May 2020. This is a special degree given to people who have achieved great things.
A Residence Hall in Her Name
In July 2020, the president of the University of Maryland, Darryll Pines, announced another big honor. One of the university's new student dorms would be named after Elaine Coates. This was to celebrate her achievement as the university's first African-American woman to graduate.
See also
