Elizabeth Harden Gilmore facts for kids

Elizabeth Harden Gilmore (1909-1986) was an important leader and a champion for civil rights. She worked hard to make sure everyone was treated fairly, no matter their race. She also ran a successful business.

Early Life and Business

Elizabeth Harden Gilmore was born in 1909 and lived until 1986. She made history in Kanawha County, West Virginia. On October 28, 1938, she became the first woman to get a license as an assistant funeral director there. Just two years later, on November 12, 1940, she became a full funeral director.

In 1947, she opened her own business, the Harden and Harden Funeral Home. This building is now recognized as a special historic place.

Fighting for Equal Rights

Elizabeth Harden Gilmore was a pioneer in the fight for equality. She worked to end segregation, which meant keeping people of different races separate. She wanted to make sure that schools, homes, and public places in West Virginia were open to everyone. She also helped pass laws to make this happen.

Integrating Schools and Activities

In the early 1950s, before the famous Brown v. Board of Education court case, Gilmore started a women's club. This club opened the very first integrated day care center in Charleston, West Virginia. An integrated center meant children of all races could play and learn together.

Around the same time, she helped her Black Girl Scouts of the USA troop join Camp Anne Bailey. This camp was near Lewisburg, West Virginia. Her troop, Troop 230, was the first Black Girl Scout troop in West Virginia to complete their program. She helped two girls, Deloris Foster and Linda Stillwell, become the first Black Girl Scouts to attend Camp Anne Bailey.

Leading Sit-Ins

In 1958, Elizabeth Harden Gilmore helped start the local chapter of the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE). This group worked for civil rights. She led CORE in a successful protest called a "sit-in" at a department store called The Diamond. For a whole year, people sat in the store to protest unfair rules. Their efforts helped change things.

Later Work and Honors

In the 1960s, Gilmore continued her important work. She was part of the Kanawha Valley Council of Human Relations. Here, she talked about racial differences and helped Black families find new homes when a new highway forced them to move.

She also pushed to change a state civil rights law from 1961. Because of her success, she earned a spot on the powerful higher-education Board of Regents. This was a big honor! Elizabeth Harden Gilmore was the first African American person to be on this board. She served from 1969 to the late 1970s. During her time, she was even the vice-president and then the president of the board.

Her dedication to human rights never stopped. She also worked with the United States Commission on Civil Rights and helped with community education and welfare programs. Elizabeth Harden Gilmore's life showed how one person can make a huge difference in the fight for fairness and equality.