Theodora Lacey facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Theodora Smiley Lacey
Theodora Smiley Lacey, speaking at an event at Two Sigma Investments in 2017
Born	Theodora Smiley 1932 (age 92–93) Montgomery, Alabama, US
Nationality	American
Alma mater	Alabama State College Hunter College
Occupation	Civil rights activist and educator
Known for	Montgomery bus boycott Teaneck desegregation
Spouse(s)	Archie Lacey ​ ​ (m. 1956; died 1986)​

Theodora Smiley Lacey (born in 1932) is an American civil rights activist and teacher. She played a big part in the Civil Rights Movement. She helped organize the Montgomery bus boycott and worked for voting rights. She also fought for fair housing and helped schools become integrated in New Jersey.

Early Life and Family

Theodora Smiley was born in 1932 in Montgomery, Alabama. Her parents were both teachers. At that time, Alabama had strict laws that separated people based on their race. These were called Jim Crow laws. Montgomery became a key city for the Civil Rights Movement.

Theodora's family was very involved in the movement. Her mother was a childhood friend of Rosa Parks. Her father was the head of the board at Dexter Avenue Baptist Church. In 1954, this church chose Martin Luther King Jr. as its new pastor.

Theodora graduated from Alabama State College. She became a science teacher. She taught in Alabama, Louisiana, and later in New Jersey.

Montgomery Bus Boycott

Theodora Lacey's work as an activist began in 1955. Her mother's friend, Rosa Parks, was arrested. Rosa Parks had refused to give up her seat in the "white" section of a public bus. Buses in Montgomery were segregated, meaning Black and white people had to sit in different sections.

Rosa Parks' arrest led to protests. People decided to boycott the bus system. This meant they would stop riding the buses. Jo Ann Robinson and Dr. King became leaders of the boycott. The Dexter Avenue Church became their main meeting place.

The boycott was first planned for one day. But it lasted for 381 days! It only ended when laws requiring segregated buses were found to be against the U.S. Constitution.

Theodora was teaching science at George Washington Carver High School then. She was very active in the boycott. She attended meetings and typed press releases. Many people in the boycott were domestic workers. They often did not own cars and relied on buses for their jobs.

Theodora helped by driving people herself. She also raised money for taxi drivers. These drivers supported the boycott by offering free or cheap rides. She sent letters across the country to get donations for taxi maintenance.

During the boycott, she met Archie Lacey. He was a science professor at Alabama State College. They met because he was also involved in the boycott. They got married on April 29, 1956, while the boycott was still happening. Dr. King had planned to marry them but was called away. He later baptized two of their four children.

After the boycott, the Laceys continued their activism. In 1957, they traveled through Alabama. They researched voter registration and unfairness in the political system. Their findings helped in lawsuits to protect Black voters' rights.

Moving to New Jersey

In the late 1950s, Theodora and Archie moved north. They left Louisiana to escape racism and segregation in the South. They first lived in Manhattan, near Hunter College, where Archie taught. In 1961, they moved to Teaneck, New Jersey.

Even in New Jersey, they faced racism. Some neighbors moved away. Others did not want Black children in their schools. One neighbor even sat in his yard with a shotgun while their children played.

Fighting for Fair Housing

The Laceys soon joined a group working to change unfair housing practices. This group was called the Fair Housing Council of Northern New Jersey. They tested home sellers and real estate agents. They would send a Black family to ask about a house. Often, they were told the house was no longer for sale. Then, a white family would go and be invited to buy it.

Theodora remembered that they never found anyone willing to sell to a Black family. The council kept a list of sellers and agents who discriminated. Years later, in 1968, the federal Fair Housing Act was passed. This law made it illegal to discriminate based on race when selling or renting homes. The Fair Housing Council used their information in a major lawsuit.

Integrating Schools in Teaneck

The Laceys also led a group fighting discrimination at the Bryant School. This was their neighborhood school. They worried that white families leaving the area would cause the school to lose money. So, the Laceys started the North East Community Organization (NECO). This group worked to integrate public schools.

They held meetings at their home with parents and community members. They talked to school officials and attended school board meetings. NECO wanted an "open enrollment" policy. This would let Teaneck families send their children to any school in the district. Thirteen Black families and one white family took part.

In 1964, the Teaneck school board changed its policy. They voted to make Bryant School the town's only middle school. This ended the separation of students in smaller neighborhood schools. With this decision, Teaneck became the first town in the U.S. to integrate its schools by a vote.

Later Life and Community Work

Theodora Lacey earned her master's degree from Hunter College in 1965. She taught for 42 years, retiring in 2007.

She is a co-chair of the African-American Advisory Committee for her county. She also co-chairs the Bergen County Martin Luther King Jr. Monument Committee. This group was started in 2010 to raise money for a statue of Dr. King. In 2014, the governor appointed her to New Jersey's Martin Luther King Jr. Commission.

In 2003, Theodora co-founded Teens Talk About Racism (TTAR). This is an annual conference for high school students. TTAR brings young leaders together to work on diversity in schools. Students learn to understand different viewpoints. They then create plans to make their schools more welcoming for everyone.

Theodora Lacey was chosen to represent New Jersey on a trip to Russia. This was part of a Citizen to Citizen Exchange Program.

In 2011, she joined a group called the People's Organization for Progress. They asked Congress to create a jobs program. This program was like the Works Progress Administration from the past. The campaign called for 381 days of protest. This number matched the length of the Montgomery bus boycott.

Theodora has four children. As of 2012, she had ten grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren. Her husband, Dr. Archie Lacey, passed away in 1986.

Awards and Recognition

Theodora Lacey has received many awards. These include the Master Teacher Award and Teacher of the Year Award from Teaneck. She also received the Outstanding Educator award from the Teaneck Chamber of Commerce. The New Jersey Senate honored her as an Outstanding Woman of New Jersey. Princeton University named her the Most Outstanding Secondary School Teacher.

The Bergen Record newspaper called her one of the "Most Intriguing People." She is listed in Who's Who America's Teachers. She has also received awards from local diversity groups. These include the Sojourner Truth Award, the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Bergen County Urban League, and the NAACP Service Award.

The Bergen County YWCA gives an annual award in her name. It is called the Theodora Lacey Racial Justice Award. It honors people or groups who work to end racism.

The Theodora Smiley Lacey School opened in Teaneck, New Jersey, in 2020. This school is part of the Teaneck Public Schools. The street where the school is located, Broad Street, is also named after her.