Frances Mary Albrier facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Frances Mary Albrier
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| Born | September 21, 1898 |
| Died | August 21, 1987 (aged 88) |
| Nationality | American |
| Education | Tuskegee Institute |
| Alma mater | Howard University University of California, Berkeley |
| Occupation | Civil rights activist |
| Known for | Berkeley Unified School District |
| Spouse(s) | William Albert Jackson (1922) Willie Antoine Albrier (1938) |
| Children | Albert Jackson, Betty Kimble, Anita Black |
| Awards | "Fight for Freedom" Award |
Frances Mary Albrier (born September 21, 1898, died August 21, 1987) was an important leader. She worked hard for civil rights and helped her community. She fought against unfair treatment for Black people in the United States.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Frances Albrier was born in Mount Vernon, New York in 1898. She grew up in Tuskegee, Alabama with her grandparents. She went to the Tuskegee Institute for high school.
Later, she earned a degree from Howard University in 1920. She then moved to Berkeley, California. There, she studied at the University of California, Berkeley. After college, she trained to be a nurse. But it was hard for her to find a nursing job. This led her to join the UNIA. She became a nurse for their Black Cross organization.
Fighting for Equal Rights
Frances Albrier became active in local politics in 1938. She was chosen to be a Democratic Central Committeewoman in Alameda County, California. She wanted to see more different kinds of people working in Berkeley. So, she ran for the Berkeley city council in 1939. She did not win the election.
After this, she started the East Bay Women's Welfare Club. This group of mothers worked to get more Black teachers hired in Berkeley schools. Albrier saw that Black taxpayers in Berkeley were not fairly represented. They did not have enough say in city government, schools, or community centers.
Helping Schools Change
Albrier played a big part in stopping unfair hiring practices. She helped end discrimination against Black teachers. Because of her work, the Berkeley public schools began hiring Black teachers.
Working for the War Effort
In 1942, Albrier learned to be a welder. She wanted to help with the World War II war effort. The Boilermakers Union did not want to accept her at first. This was even though she finished twice the training hours needed.
But Albrier threatened to sue the union. The community also put pressure on them. Finally, the union accepted her. She became the first Black woman hired at Kaiser Shipyards in Richmond, California. Even after joining, she was moved to a different union in Oakland. This was because there was no separate Black union group in Richmond.
In 1954, she received the "Fight for Freedom" Award. This award came from the NAACP.
