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 1932) is an American civil rights activist and a teacher. She worked hard to make sure all people had equal rights. She helped organize the famous Montgomery bus boycott. She also fought for voting rights and for fair housing. Later, she helped lead the effort to integrate schools in New Jersey. This means she helped make sure schools were open to all students, no matter their race.

The Early Life of Theodora Lacey

Theodora Smiley was born in 1932 in Montgomery, Alabama. Both of her parents were teachers. At that time, Alabama had strict rules that separated people by race. These were called Jim Crow laws. Montgomery became a very important place for the Civil Rights Movement.

Theodora's family was very involved in this movement. Her mother was a childhood friend of Rosa Parks. Her father was a high school principal. He was also a leader at the 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.

The Montgomery Bus Boycott

Theodora Lacey's work as a civil rights activist began in 1955. Her mother's friend, Rosa Parks, was arrested. Rosa Parks had sat in the "white" section of a public bus. Montgomery's buses had always been separated by race. Many others had been arrested for similar reasons. But Rosa Parks' arrest led to big protests. People called for a boycott of the bus system.

Jo Ann Robinson, a church member, and Dr. King became leaders of the boycott movement. The Dexter Avenue Church became their main meeting place. The boycott was first planned for only one day. But it lasted 381 days! It ended only when laws that separated people on buses were found to be against the law.

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 did not own cars and needed the bus for their jobs. Theodora drove them herself. She also raised money for taxi drivers. These drivers helped the boycott by giving free or cheap rides. She sent letters all over the country to get donations for taxi repairs.

During the boycott, she met Archie Lacey. He was a science professor at Alabama State College. He met Theodora because he was also involved in the bus boycott. They got married on April 29, 1956, while the boycott was still happening. Dr. King had planned to lead their wedding. But he had to travel for business. He later baptized two of their four children.

After the boycott ended, the Laceys kept working for civil rights. In 1957, they traveled through Alabama. They studied voter registration and unfairness in the political system. Their research helped in lawsuits. These lawsuits fought against keeping black voters from voting.

Moving to New Jersey

In the late 1950s, Theodora and Archie moved north. They had their three-year-old son, Archie Jr. They moved from Louisiana to escape racism and segregation in the South. After a few years in New York City, they moved to Teaneck, New Jersey, in 1961.

Even though they left the Jim Crow laws behind, they still faced racism. Some neighbors moved away. Some did not want black children in their school. One neighbor even sat in his yard with a shotgun while their children played outside. This showed how unwelcome they were.

Fighting for Fair Housing

The Laceys soon joined a group that worked to change unfair housing rules. 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. The family would be told the house was not 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 did this. 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.

Working for School Integration

The Laceys also led a group that fought against unfairness in the Bryant School. This group was called the North East Community Organization (NECO). They worried that white families leaving the area would mean less money for the school. So, NECO worked to integrate the public schools. This meant making sure all students could attend the same schools.

They held meetings in their home with parents and community members. They talked to school officials. They also went to 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 voted to change the policy. The Bryant School became the town's only middle school. This ended the separation of smaller neighborhood schools. With this decision, Teaneck became the first town in the United States to integrate its schools by a vote.

Teaching Career and Community Work

Theodora Lacey earned her master's degree from Hunter College in New York City in 1965. She was a teacher for 42 years. She retired in 2007.

She helps lead 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. It raises money to build a life-size statue of Dr. King in the county. In 2014, the governor appointed her to New Jersey's Martin Luther King Jr. Commission.

In 2003, Theodora Lacey helped start Teens Talk About Racism (TTAR). This is an annual meeting for high school students in Bergen County. TTAR brings young leaders together. They work to improve 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 in a special exchange program to Russia.

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 Lacey 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 Special 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. 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 and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Bergen County Urban League. She also received awards from the Omega Psi Phi fraternity, the Matthew Feldman Community Service Award, 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 have worked to end racism for a long time.

The Theodora Smiley Lacey School in Teaneck, New Jersey, opened 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.

Images for kids

• 

  Theodora Smiley Lacey, speaking at an event at Two Sigma Investments in 2017