Fredda Witherspoon facts for kids

Fredda Witherspoon (born Fredda Crawford, 1923 or 1924–1996) was an important educator and activist. She lived and worked in St. Louis, Missouri. Fredda was known for helping her community. She led the Missouri Conference of the NAACP. She was also a vice chair for the St. Louis Urban League.

Fredda Witherspoon's Life Story

Fredda Crawford was born to Vanita Crawford and R. E. Crawford. Her father worked for the Missouri Pacific Railroad. Fredda was a brilliant student. She graduated at the top of her class from Booker T. Washington High School.

Her Journey in Education

Fredda continued her studies at Bishop College. She later earned a business degree from Hughes Business School. She loved learning and went on to earn three master's degrees. These were in Psychiatric Social Work, Psychology, and Guidance and Counseling. She earned these from the University of Chicago.

She didn't stop there! Fredda earned her last degree, a PhD, from Washington University in St. Louis. This PhD was also in Guidance and Counseling. After finishing her PhD, Fredda Witherspoon made St. Louis her permanent home.

Teaching and Community Work

Fredda Witherspoon turned her love for education into her job. She taught at Forest Park Community College for 27 years. She also worked with young people as the children’s youth director at the West Side Baptist Church.

Fredda believed it was important to use her talents to help others. She especially wanted to help her local community. Her personal motto showed this belief: "Everyone should do all the good she can as she passes along life’s highway; time is fleeing and life is too short to be unkind and thoughtless; we pass this way but once."

Her Family Life

After moving to St. Louis, Fredda married Robert Witherspoon. They had a son named Robert "Bob" Witherspoon. They also had a daughter, who was named Vanita, after Fredda's mother.

How Fredda Witherspoon Fought for Change

Fredda Witherspoon is most famous for her work that led to a very important court case. This case was called "Shelley v. Kramer" in 1948. It helped end unfair housing rules.

Fighting Unfair Housing Rules

Fredda's husband, Robert Witherspoon, was a lawyer in St. Louis. Together, they worked to end segregation in a neighborhood called Lewis Place. This was a private street in St. Louis where only African-Americans lived.

In the 1940s, many neighborhoods had "restrictive covenants." These were rules that legally stopped people of different races from buying homes in certain areas. This meant neighborhoods were kept separate by race.

A Clever Plan for Equality

Fredda and Robert Witherspoon came up with a smart plan. They convinced a group of light-skinned African-Americans to buy houses in Lewis Place. These new homeowners then voted against the unfair covenants.

This action was a big part of a larger legal fight against these racially restrictive rules. Their efforts helped push the Supreme Court to make a huge decision. The Supreme Court ruled that these covenants were against the U.S. Constitution. This meant they could no longer be used anywhere in the United States. It was a major victory for civil rights!