Maycie Herrington facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Maycie Herrington
|
|
|---|---|
| Born |
Maycie Copeland
November 7, 1918 |
| Died | May 24, 2016 (aged 97) |
| Education | Washington High School |
| Alma mater | St. Augustine's University |
| Occupation | Black history conservator, community volunteer |
| Spouse(s) | Aaron Herrington |
| Children | Ann Herrington, Kay M. Herrington |
| Parent(s) | Dicie Copeland Thomas Copeland |
Maycie Herrington (born November 7, 1918 – died May 24, 2016) was an amazing African-American woman. She was a social worker and a community helper. She is best known for helping to save the history of the brave Tuskegee Airmen. She worked with the Red Cross during World War II. Her husband, Aaron, was training to be a fighter pilot with the Tuskegee Airmen then. Maycie Herrington passed away in 2016 when she was 97 years old.
Contents
About Maycie Herrington
Growing Up in Raleigh
Maycie Copeland was born on November 7, 1918. Her parents were Thomas and Dicie Copeland. She grew up in Raleigh, North Carolina. Maycie went to grade school near St. Augustine College. Later, she attended the Lucille Hunter School. She finished her high school education at Washington High School in 1936.
College Life and Meeting Aaron
After high school, Maycie went to St. Augustine's University for college. While she was there, she met Aaron Herrington. He was also a student at the university. Maycie graduated in 1940 with a Bachelor of Science degree.
Family Life and Moving to California
Maycie married Aaron Herrington in 1943, three years after college. Their first daughter, Ann, was born in 1944. Later, in 1956, they welcomed their second daughter, Kay Marie. This was after the family moved to California.
Helping the Tuskegee Airmen
Soon after their wedding, Aaron Herrington was sent to Tuskegee, Alabama. He was going to train as a fighter pilot. He was part of the famous Tuskegee Airmen group in 1943. Maycie Herrington quit her job as a bookkeeper at Mechanics and Farmers Bank. She moved to Tuskegee, Alabama, to be with her husband.
While there, she worked for the Red Cross. She met and helped many of the Tuskegee Airmen. After her husband died in 1995, Maycie continued his important work. She joined the Tuskegee Airmen, Inc. organization in 1996. She worked hard to remember and honor the Tuskegee Airmen. She even created trading cards about individual members. In 1998, she became the secretary of the organization.
Working as a Social Worker
After World War II, the Herringtons moved to Long Beach, California. In 1949, Maycie Herrington started working as a social worker. She worked for the Bureau for Public Assistance. She kept this job for over 30 years. In her role, she helped with the Long Beach Area Welfare Planning Council United Way. She also helped organize summer camps and Christmas events for the bureau. Maycie retired from her social work career in 1981.
Awards and Recognition
Maycie Herrington received several awards for her community work:
- Hannah G. Solomon Award
- Women Helping Women Award
- Rick Racker Woman of the Year Award
- National Conference for Community and Justice Humanitarian Award
