Lulu Belle Madison White facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lulu Belle Madison White
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Photo of Lulu Belle Madison White
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| Born | August 31, 1907 Elmo, Texas, U.S.
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| Died | July 6, 1957 (aged 56) Houston, Texas, U.S.
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| Alma mater | Prairie View A&M University |
| Occupation | Civil Rights Activist |
Lulu Belle Madison White (born August 31, 1907 – died July 6, 1957) was a brave teacher and leader who fought for equal rights in Texas. She worked hard during the 1940s and 1950s to make sure everyone was treated fairly.
In 1939, Lulu Belle became the president of the Houston group of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). This group works to end unfair treatment based on race. Later, in 1943, she became the executive secretary. Because of her strong leadership, the Houston NAACP group grew a lot. Its size more than doubled between 1943 and 1948.
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Early Life and Education
Lulu Belle Madison White was born in Elmo, Texas, in 1907. Her parents were Samuel Henry Madison and Easter Madison. She was the tenth of their twelve children. Elmo was a town where most people were Black. It was known for its very unfair rules against Black people. This unfairness made Lulu Belle want to fight for civil rights. Her father also encouraged her to get a good education.
In 1923, Lulu Belle started college at Butler College in Tyler, Texas. After one year, she moved to Prairie View College. This school is now called Prairie View A&M University. She earned a bachelor's degree in English there in 1928.
Career as an Activist
After college, Lulu Belle married Julius White. He was a businessman in Houston and also a member of the NAACP. He had worked on cases to help Black people get the right to vote. Because of her husband's connection to the Civil Rights Movement, Lulu Belle found it hard to get a job in Houston.
So, she took a teaching job in Lufkin, Texas. She taught English and physical education there. After teaching for nine years, Lulu Belle decided to stop. She wanted to work full-time as an activist with the NAACP. She soon became the first woman to be a full-time paid executive secretary for a local NAACP group.
In 1949, Lulu Belle stepped down from her role as executive secretary in Houston. She had some disagreements with Carter Walker Wesley about how quickly to bring people of different races together. However, she still stayed on as the Director of State Branches for the NAACP.
Lulu Belle led important efforts in Houston. She pushed for the city council to pass a rule allowing Black doctors to work in city hospitals. She also helped organize protests so that African-American women could try on clothes in department stores. She even worked to make sure taxi companies treated everyone fairly. Later, she became a field worker for the national NAACP group. The national NAACP later created a special fund called the Lulu White Freedom Fund to honor her.
Fighting for Voting and Economic Rights
Lulu Belle White took many steps to help African Americans get the right to vote. She played a big part in getting rid of the White primaries in 1943. These were unfair rules that said only white people could vote in the primary elections of the Democratic Party.
Lulu Belle believed that it was very important for African Americans to have equal civil rights. She also thought they should have equal chances to get jobs and earn money. To show this idea, she encouraged Black people to look for jobs at businesses that usually only hired white people. When Lulu Belle tried this herself, managers often refused to see her or turned her away.
To show how unfair job opportunities were, she organized group protests. These protests spoke out against managers who treated people unfairly. Because of her strong actions, some people unfairly called Lulu Belle a communist.
Legacy and Impact
Lulu Belle White continued to be an active leader in the Black community until her death. She passed away on July 6, 1957, likely from heart disease. She is buried in Paradise South in Houston, Texas. Just a week before she died, the NAACP created the Lulu White Freedom Fund to honor her amazing work.
