Ruth Apilado facts for kids

Ruth Moselle Apilado (born Mays; April 30, 1908 – August 15, 2021) was an American newspaper editor, writer, and activist. She lived a very long life, reaching 113 years old. Ruth Apilado started America's Intercultural Magazine (AIM). She was born during the Jim Crow era, a time when Black people faced unfair laws and treatment in the United States. She worked hard to fight racism and promote equal rights for African Americans.

Early Life and Education

Ruth Apilado was born in Chicago, Illinois, on April 30, 1908. Her parents were Stewart and Clara Mays. Her family background was diverse. Her grandmother on her mother's side came from Canada and had some Indigenous heritage. Her great-grandfather on her father's side had been a slave owner in Virginia.

Ruth went to McKinley High School in Chicago. After graduating from Chicago Normal College, which is now called Chicago State University, she became a teacher in 1928.

Writing and Publishing Career

Ruth Apilado started her career in journalism in 1942. She worked briefly as an editor for a new magazine called Negro Youth Photo Scripts Magazine.

In 1945, she wrote a letter to the editor about a famous book. She disagreed with how the author, Richard Wright, showed the childhood of African-Americans in his book Black Boy. She felt it wasn't a true picture for most Black children.

In 1950, Ruth Apilado published her own novel. It was called The Joneses. This book told the story of a Black family living in Chicago and the challenges they faced.

Founding a Magazine

After teaching for many years, Ruth Apilado retired in 1973. She then decided to create her own magazine, America's Intercultural Magazine (AIM). This magazine was published four times a year. Its main goal was to "bridge the gap between races, cultures, and religions." This meant it aimed to help different groups of people understand each other better.

Ruth had thought about creating such a magazine even earlier, in 1948. She had asked a newspaper for help with marketing her idea for a journal called Freedom Press. Her strong beliefs against racism were clear in the articles she wrote for AIM. For example, in 1975, she wrote an article praising Willa Saunders Jones, an important activist and church leader. Ruth Apilado also shared her ideas at a writers' conference in Illinois in 1990.

Personal Life

Ruth Apilado was married to Inosencio Apilado, who was Filipino-American. They had a son named Myron Apilado. Myron later became an editor for AIM, the magazine his mother founded. He also worked at the University of Washington as the vice-president of minority affairs until 2000.

In 2004, when she was 96 years old, Ruth Apilado was interviewed by The History Makers. This project collects stories from African Americans. Her second cousin was Lu Palmer, a well-known reporter and radio host. Ruth Apilado celebrated her 113th birthday in April 2021. She passed away a few months later, on August 15, 2021.