Florynce Kennedy facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Florynce Kennedy
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Portrait of Florynce Kennedy speaking at California State University at Northridge, ca. 1975-1980
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Florynce Rae Kennedy
February 11, 1916 Kansas City, Missouri, U.S.
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| Died | December 21, 2000 (aged 84) New York City, New York, U.S.
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| Nationality | American |
| Other names | Flo Kennedy |
| Education | Columbia University (BA, LLB) |
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Florynce Rae Kennedy (born February 11, 1916 – died December 21, 2000) was an American lawyer, radical feminist, and civil rights champion. She was also a lecturer and activist who worked to make the world fairer for everyone.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Florynce Kennedy was born in Kansas City, Missouri. She grew up in an African-American family. Her father, Wiley Kennedy, worked as a Pullman porter and later owned a taxi business. Florynce was the second of five daughters.
Even though her family faced poverty during the Great Depression and racism in their mostly white neighborhood, Florynce had a happy childhood. Her parents gave her a strong sense of security and self-worth. She remembered how her father stood up to racist groups trying to force their family out. She later said, "My parents gave us a fantastic sense of security and worth. By the time the bigots got around to telling us that we were nobody, we already knew we were somebody."
Florynce graduated at the top of her class from Lincoln High School. After high school, she worked many different jobs, including owning a hat shop. In 1942, after her mother Zella passed away, Florynce moved from Missouri to New York City. She lived in Harlem with her sister Grayce.
In 1944, she started classes at Columbia University School of General Studies. She studied pre-law and finished her degree in 1949. However, when she applied to Columbia's law school, she was initially turned down. Florynce wrote in her autobiography that the dean told her she was rejected because she was a woman, not because she was Black. She felt this was unfair.
Florynce met with the dean and threatened to sue the school. Because of her strong stand, she was admitted. She was the only Black person and one of only eight women in her law school class. In a paper she wrote in 1946, she compared the struggles faced by women and Black people. She hoped this comparison would help these groups work together for change.
Career and Public Life
Florynce Kennedy graduated from Columbia Law School in 1951. By 1954, she had opened her own law office. She handled cases related to family law and some criminal cases. She was also a member of the Young Democrats.
Florynce also appeared in some films and TV shows. She acted in The Landlord (1970) and the independent political drama Born In Flames (1983). She also appeared in Who Says I Can't Ride a Rainbow with Morgan Freeman. She was also seen on the TV series Some of My Best Friends are Men (1973).
She was one of the people who narrated a film called Come Back, Africa: The Films of Lionel Rogosin. This film talked about African-American history and the unfair system of apartheid in South Africa.
Later in her life, Florynce received several awards for her important work. In 1997, she got a Lifetime Courageous Activist Award. The next year, Columbia University honored her with their Owl Award for outstanding graduates. In 1999, the City University of New York gave her the Century Award.
Activism and Advocacy
Florynce Kennedy believed in Intersectionality, which means understanding how different parts of a person's identity, like race and gender, can create unique challenges. Her protest strategy was often described as "Mak[ing] white people nervous."
Florynce had a very unique and memorable style. She often wore a cowboy hat and pink sunglasses. She also used false eyelashes, which she called her "Daffy Duck" lashes, to make a statement. She had a summer home on Fire Island and often invited other activists to visit her there.
She also hosted regular gatherings, called "salons," at her apartment in New York City. At these meetings, she helped people connect, share ideas, and plan new projects. She would even give tours of her apartment, jokingly pointing out the "filthy room" and the "dirty room."
Early Activism
Florynce's activism started early in her life. After high school, she organized a successful boycott against a Coca-Cola company that would not hire Black truck drivers.
In 1965, she was arrested for the first time when police did not believe she lived in her own neighborhood. After this, she focused even more on fighting racism and unfair treatment. She worked as an activist for feminism (equal rights for women) and civil rights (equal rights for all people). The legal cases she took on were increasingly about these important causes.
In 1966, Florynce started the Media Workshop. These meetings were used to plan ways to challenge how the media showed Black people. She led boycotts of big advertisers if they did not include Black people in their ads. She also represented important groups like the Black Panthers. She even represented radical feminist Valerie Solanas in a legal case.
Florynce played a big part in planning the Miss America protest of 1968. This protest aimed to show the "exploitation of women." She was responsible for getting other Black feminists to join this protest. When several women were arrested during the protest, Florynce acted as their lawyer.
In the 1970s, Florynce traveled and gave lectures with writer Gloria Steinem. She was an early member of the National Organization for Women, but she left in 1970 because she wanted a different approach to change. In 1971, she helped create the Feminist Party, which supported Shirley Chisholm for president. She also helped start the National Women's Political Caucus.
Later Activism
After the 1971 rebellion at Attica Prison in New York State, which happened because of human rights abuses, there was a need for different activist groups to work together. Florynce spoke about the importance of unity between the Black power movement and the feminist movement. She famously said, "We do not support Attica. We ARE Attica. We are Attica or we are nothing." In 1973, Florynce co-founded the National Black Feminist Organization (NBFO) with Margaret Sloan-Hunter.
In 1974, People magazine described her as "The biggest, loudest and, indisputably, the rudest mouth on the battleground."
In 1977, Florynce became involved with the Women's Institute for Freedom of the Press (WIFP). This group works to improve communication among women and connect the public with media created by women. Florynce was also strongly against military conflicts and wars, especially the Vietnam War.
Personal Life
In 1957, Florynce Kennedy married science fiction author Charles Dye. He passed away around 1960. Florynce never remarried or had children. She was an atheist.
Florynce Kennedy died on December 21, 2000, at her home in New York. She was 84 years old.
In Popular Culture
Florynce Kennedy was shown in two movies in 2020 that were about other women. In Mrs. America, a TV series about Phyllis Schlafly, Niecy Nash played her. In The Glorias, a movie about Gloria Steinem, she was played by Lorraine Toussaint.
See also
In Spanish: Florynce Kennedy para niños
