Margaret Bush Wilson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Margaret Bush Wilson
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Wilson in 1980
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| Born | January 30, 1919 St. Louis, Missouri
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| Died | August 11, 2009 (aged 90) St. Louis MO
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| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Lawyer |
| Spouse(s) | Robert Wilson |
| Parent(s) | James Bush Margaret Casey |
Margaret Bush Wilson (born January 30, 1919 – died August 11, 2009) was an American lawyer and activist. She was a trailblazer who broke many barriers for African-American women in her career.
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Early Life and Education
Margaret Bush Wilson was born in St. Louis, Missouri. She was a very bright student. She earned her first degree from Talladega College in 1940. Before graduating, she even spent six months studying in India. She received a special scholarship for this trip.
Margaret went on to study law at Lincoln University of Missouri School of Law. She was one of only two women in her class. In 1943, she became the second African-American woman to pass the bar exam in Missouri. This meant she was officially allowed to practice law.
Fighting for Justice
Margaret Bush Wilson was involved in a very important legal case. In 1946, her father helped a family buy a home. But a court in Missouri tried to make the family leave. This was because of a "racial restrictive covenant." This was a rule that said only white people could live in certain areas.
Mrs. Wilson helped take this case to the Supreme Court of the United States. In 1948, the Supreme Court made a big decision. They ruled that these unfair housing rules could not be enforced by courts. This was a huge victory for civil rights! The case was called Shelley v. Kraemer.
Early Political Career
In 1948, Margaret Wilson made history again. She became the first black woman in Missouri to run for Congress. She ran with the Progressive Party. Even though she didn't win, it was an important step. Later, she joined the Democratic Party.
School Desegregation
In 1954, Margaret Wilson celebrated another landmark decision. This was the Brown v. Board of Education case. This ruling said that separate schools for black and white children were illegal. The next year, her five-year-old son started kindergarten. He went to one of the first schools in St. Louis that was no longer segregated.
Leading the NAACP
Margaret Bush Wilson was a key leader in the NAACP. This is a very important civil rights organization. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, she led the St. Louis and Missouri chapters. During this time, activists protested to get businesses to hire black people for jobs they were not allowed to have before.
In 1963, she joined the national board of the NAACP. Then, in 1975, she made history again. She became the first woman to lead the NAACP's National Board of Directors. She served in this important role for nine terms.
Challenges in Leadership
During her time leading the NAACP, Margaret Wilson faced some challenges. There were disagreements about how the organization was being managed. She believed there were problems with how money was handled. After some disagreements, the board decided to change her duties. She continued to practice law in St. Louis until she passed away.
Later Life and Legacy
Margaret Bush Wilson was also a critic of President Ronald Reagan's budget cuts in the 1980s. She openly spoke about her concerns regarding his policies.
She served on the boards of two historically African-American colleges: St. Augustine's College and Talladega. She was also a trustee for Washington University in St. Louis and Webster University. She was a very respected lawyer and leader. In 2000, she chaired Law Day for the American Bar Association.
Margaret Bush Wilson dedicated her life to fighting for justice and equality. She opened doors for many people and left a lasting impact.
Images for kids
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Wilson in 1980
