Johnnie Carr facts for kids
Johnnie Rebecca Daniels Carr (January 26, 1911 – February 22, 2008) was a brave and important leader in the Civil Rights Movement in the United States. She worked hard to fight for fairness and equality for all people from 1955 until she passed away in 2008.
Quick facts for kids
Johnnie Carr
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| Born |
Johnnie Rebecca Daniels Carr
January 26, 1911 |
| Died | February 22, 2008 (aged 97) |
| Occupation | Civil Rights |
| Years active | 1955–2008 |
Contents
Early Life and Education
Johnnie Carr was born on January 26, 1911. She was the youngest of six children. When she was nine, her father died. After this, her family moved to Montgomery, Alabama, looking for better schools.
Johnnie went to two private schools there. At one of them, the Montgomery Industrial School for Girls, she met and became friends with a young girl named Rosa Louise McCauley. This friend later became the famous civil rights hero, Rosa Parks.
Before finishing high school, Johnnie married Jack Jordan at age sixteen. They had two daughters. Later, Johnnie became a nurse and then an insurance agent. In 1944, she married Arlam Carr. They had one son, Arlam Jr., born in 1951. The family lived across from Oak Park, which used to separate black and white neighborhoods in Montgomery.
Starting Civil Rights Work
Johnnie Carr began her work for civil rights very early. In 1931, she helped raise money for the defense of nine young men in the Scottsboro trials. These young men were wrongly accused of a crime.
Later, in the late 1930s, Johnnie joined her local chapter of the NAACP. She worked as a youth director and secretary under E. D. Nixon, who was the president of the chapter. It was here that she met her childhood friend, Rosa Parks, again.
In 1944, Johnnie and her husband, along with Rosa Parks, E. D. Nixon, and others, worked together to help Recy Taylor. Ms. Taylor had faced a serious injustice. This group of activists worked hard to get justice for her. They raised money and sent letters to leaders. This group later became important in supporting Martin Luther King Jr.
The Montgomery Bus Boycott
On December 1, 1955, Johnnie Carr received a call from E. D. Nixon. He told her that Rosa Parks had been arrested. This event started the Montgomery Bus Boycott.
Johnnie attended the first big meeting about the boycott on December 5, 1955. This meeting led to the creation of the Montgomery Improvement Association (MIA). The MIA then organized the entire Bus Boycott.
Johnnie Carr became a key leader in the MIA. She served on committees and spoke at meetings. She also helped organize carpools for people who needed rides during the boycott. Both she and her husband drove people around. Even when police tried to stop them, they kept helping.
The boycott ended when the Supreme Court ruled that bus segregation was illegal. This was a big victory for the Civil Rights Movement.
Fighting for School Equality
In 1964, Johnnie and Arlam Carr decided to challenge the segregation in Montgomery County schools. Their thirteen-year-old son, Arlam Jr., was the student who wanted to attend a white-only school.
With the help of attorney Fred Gray, the Carrs sued the Montgomery County Board of Education. They wanted schools to be integrated, meaning students of all races could attend together. Other families were afraid to join the lawsuit because they feared harm. The Carrs themselves received threatening phone calls.
On March 22, 1966, Federal judge Frank M. Johnson Jr. ruled in favor of the Carrs. The court ordered the Montgomery County school system to integrate. Students could now choose which school to attend. The court also made sure that all students had equal access to programs and services. It also ended segregation for teachers and staff.
Arlam Carr Jr. then enrolled in Sidney Lanier High School with twelve other black students.
Continuing Civil Rights Work
In 1967, Johnnie Carr became the President of the Montgomery Improvement Association, taking over from Martin Luther King Jr.. Under her leadership, the MIA continued to work in Montgomery. They raised money for scholarships and helped people register to vote. The association also celebrated the Bus Boycott and Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday.
Many important civil rights leaders praised Johnnie Carr. Morris Dees, a founder of the Southern Poverty Law Center, called her one of the three main icons of the Civil Rights Movement, along with Dr. King and Rosa Parks. U.S. Representative John Lewis said she was one of the founders of a "new America."
Johnnie Carr actively served as the President of the MIA until she passed away from a stroke at the age of 97.
Legacy
After Johnnie Carr died in 2008, the Montgomery Public School Board voted to name a new middle school after her. The Johnnie R. Carr Middle School opened in 2009. The school also has a special program for advanced students.
The Johnnie R. Carr Gymnasium in Montgomery, Alabama, is also named in her honor.
See also
In Spanish: Johnnie Carr para niños
