Ruth Dial Woods facts for kids

Ruth Dial Woods (1938 – June 8, 2023) was an amazing American educator and activist. She was a proud member of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina. Ruth Woods made history by becoming the first woman to be an associate superintendent in the Robeson County Public Schools. She was also the first woman to get a special appointment to the University of North Carolina Board of Governors.

After teaching in public schools for 27 years, she became a professor at Fayetteville State University. Beyond her work in education, Woods was very active in important movements. These included the Civil Rights Movement, the Women's liberation movement, and the American Indian Movement. She also helped the United States Department of Labor and the Lumbee Tribal Council. For her dedication to human rights and education, she received many awards. In 2011, she was honored by being added to the North Carolina Women's Hall of Fame.

Early Life and Learning

Ruth Dial was born in 1938 in Robeson County, North Carolina. Her parents, Ruby and A. G. Dial, were both teachers. She grew up on her grandparents' farm. Her family was part of the Lumbee heritage.

Ruth went to an "Indian school" in Robeson County until about 1948 or 1949. At that time, Native American students faced unfair rules. They couldn't easily attend colleges in North Carolina. So, her mother moved to Johnson City, Tennessee to study for her master's degree. Ruth continued her schooling at a training school there.

After a semester, her mother moved again to Boone, North Carolina. Ruth then attended a training school linked to Appalachian State Teacher's College. When her mother finished her degree, they returned to Robeson County. Ruth graduated from Pembroke High School in 1952. That fall, she started college at Meredith College in Raleigh. However, after three years, she left in 1955 to marry James R. Roberts in Detroit, Michigan.

Her Amazing Career

Ruth's first job was in a billing department. In 1958, her husband was in a car accident. She then started working at Ford Motor Company. In 1959, she moved back to North Carolina because her husband was in the hospital there. She began teaching in the public schools of Robeson County.

In 1961, she went back to Meredith College. She finished her Bachelor's degree in English and Spanish the next year. Then, she went back to teaching. In 1965, she left teaching to work on community programs. These programs helped minorities, people in rural areas, and women. She worked with the U.S. Department of Labor.

Around this time, she got divorced. She also became very involved in important social movements. These included the Civil Rights Movement (working for equal rights for all people), the Women's liberation movement (fighting for women's equality), and the American Indian Movement (working for Native American rights). She helped start the Lumbee Regional Development Association. She also worked with the Lumbee tribal government to create programs for education, politics, and community needs.

Leadership and Education

In 1972, Ruth married Noah Woods and returned to teaching. She stopped teaching in 1977. That year, she was chosen as a delegate for the 1977 National Women's Conference. This conference was part of events for International Women's Year. Ruth later said being a delegate was one of the most important moments of her life.

In 1977, she became the Director of Indian Education for Robeson Public Schools. She also worked as a consultant for Fayetteville State University. She helped with a project to recruit minorities for advanced jobs. At the same time, she was a consultant for the Lumbee Tribal Council. She helped manage tribal programs. She also went back to school herself. She earned a master's degree from Pembroke State University. In 1989, she completed her Doctor of Education degree in school administration from South Carolina State University.

In 1982, Ruth Woods made history again. She became the first woman to be appointed as the associate superintendent of the Robeson County Public Schools. In 1985, she was the first woman to get a special appointment to the University of North Carolina Board of Governors.

She received many honors for her work. In 1986, she got the Distinguished Woman of North Carolina Award. In 1989, she received the Human Relations Award. The next year, she was given the Leo Reano Memorial Award. This award was for her leadership in human and civil rights for American Indians.

Later Years and Recognition

In 1991, Ruth Woods went back to school again. She pursued a PhD in Curriculum and Instruction at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She finished this degree in 2001. After serving on the Board of Governors for almost ten years, she was not re-elected in 1993.

She retired in 1997 from Fayetteville State University, where she had been an associate professor. In 1999, she was re-elected to the Board of Governors of UNC. That same year, she was recognized as one of the 100 Outstanding Alumni for Meredith College's 100th anniversary. In 2011, Ruth Woods was proudly inducted into the North Carolina Women's Hall of Fame.