Thelma Dale Perkins facts for kids

Thelma Dale Perkins (October 23, 1915 – September 29, 2014) was an African-American activist. An activist is someone who works hard to bring about social or political change. Thelma Dale Perkins spent her life fighting for fairness and equal rights for all people, especially African Americans. Her maternal uncle was Frederick Douglass Patterson, a famous educator and founder of the United Negro College Fund.

Early Life and Education

Thelma Dale Perkins was born in 1915. She grew up at a time when African Americans faced many challenges and unfair rules. She believed in making things better. She studied at Howard University, a well-known historically Black university, and graduated in 1936.

Joining Important Groups

After college, Thelma joined several important groups. She became a member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, a sisterhood for college women. She also joined the Liberal Club, which worked to bring African Americans and white people together. She was part of the Southern Negro Youth Congress and the American Youth Congress. These groups helped young people speak up about their concerns.

Working for Change

As a member of the American Youth Congress, Thelma Dale Perkins even visited the White House. She had "chats" with First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt to talk about issues important to young people. She worked for the National Youth Administration, helping young people find jobs and education. Later, she became the National Secretary of the National Negro Congress. This group worked to end unfair treatment and get equal rights for Black Americans. In 1945, she went to Paris for the first meeting of the Women's International Democratic Federation, an international group focused on women's rights and peace.

Fighting for Rights

Thelma Dale Perkins was dedicated to fighting for civil rights throughout her life. She worked with many important figures who also wanted a fairer world.

Working with Paul Robeson

Thelma was good friends with Paul Robeson, a famous singer, actor, and activist, and his wife Eslanda Robeson. She worked as the managing editor for Paul Robeson's newspaper, Freedom. This newspaper shared news and ideas about civil rights. She also helped in a campaign to get Paul Robeson's passport back. His passport had been taken away because of his political views, which made it hard for him to travel. Thelma wrote a tribute to him in a book called Paul Robeson: The Great Forerunner.

Supporting Black Scientists

Later in her career, Thelma Dale Perkins worked for CIBA-GEIGY Corporation. She was a manager of community relations. In this role, she started a special program called the "Exceptional Black Scientist" series. This program highlighted the amazing achievements of Black scientists. It helped show how important their work was and inspired many people. This series became well-known across the country.

Family Life

In 1957, Thelma Dale married Lawrence Rickman Perkins Jr. They adopted two children, a son named Lawrence and a daughter named Patrice.