Volma Overton facts for kids

Volma Overton (born September 26, 1924 – died October 31, 2005) was an African-American leader who worked for equal rights. He was the president of the NAACP chapter in Austin, Texas, from 1962 to 1983. He is most famous for his legal efforts to stop racial segregation (keeping people of different races separate) in Austin schools.

Volma Overton was born in Maha, a small town in Travis County. He served in the Marines during World War II. Later, he joined the Army Reserves and became a lieutenant colonel. After the war, he went to Tillotson College (now part of Huston-Tillotson University) from 1947 to 1950. There, he earned a degree in chemistry and also met his wife, Warneta.

They had four children. His children often helped him in his work for civil rights. Their daughter, DeDra, was even named as the main person in the lawsuit he led to end segregation in Austin schools. This lawsuit lasted for ten years. Volma Overton, with help from groups like the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund and the U.S. Justice Department, eventually won the case.

A Life of Service

Volma Overton served in the Marine Corps for two years. He then spent twenty-eight years in the United States Army Reserves before retiring. After his military service, he worked for the National Postal Service. He joined the National Alliance of Postal Workers because he saw unfair treatment towards minority workers.

Later, Overton became a strong voice for civil rights. He was the president of the NAACP Austin chapter. In this role, he focused on making sure that school zoning and busing plans were fair for everyone. He wanted to prevent any segregation in the Austin Independent School District (AISD). In 1963, he became the first Black member of the First Baptist Church of Austin, Texas. He was made a deacon of the church in 1967.

Ending School Segregation in Austin

Volma Overton was deeply involved in the difficult process of creating a plan to end segregation in the Austin School System. He worked closely with the NAACP's local lawyer, Sam Biscoe, providing help and information.

Before these efforts, all schools in Austin were separated by race. This meant African-American students were kept apart from white students. Even though not specifically mentioned in the Jim Crow laws, Hispanic students were also separated from white students. After the important Brown v. Board of Education decision in 1954, which said school segregation was illegal, Volma Overton and the AISD Board of Trustees were still not happy with how minority students were treated.

In 1968, the U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare (H.E.W.) said that AISD was not following the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This law banned discrimination based on race. As a result, more changes were needed.

Busing for Integration

The first idea to integrate schools was "one-way busing," which started in 1971. This meant only African-American students were bused to other schools. A judge ordered this, but a higher court later reversed the decision. They ruled that no single race should have to carry the burden of busing alone.

On April 15, 1973, the Austin School Board finally agreed on a desegregation plan after four earlier plans were rejected. Some people saw this as a big step forward. Others, like school board trustee Gus Garcia, felt the plan was just agreed upon, not truly well-written. Volma Overton believed the plan didn't fully fix all the issues they wanted to address. However, he felt it would still help minorities in a positive way. "Two-way busing" was then introduced in 1979 and continued until 1986. This meant students of all races were bused to different schools to create more mixed classrooms.

Mr. Overton and the NAACP worked not only for African-Americans but also for Mexican-Americans. They wanted to make sure all students had a diverse school experience. In 1976, Volma Overton had been president of the Austin NAACP for 14 years. To celebrate his dedication, February 13 was declared "Volma Overton Appreciation Day."

NAACP Work

Volma Overton became the president of the Austin NAACP chapter in 1962. He was a strong leader in the Civil Rights Movement. In 1965, Overton marched alongside Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. in the Selma to Montgomery march. This was a famous protest for voting rights. In 1967, Overton received the Arthur B. DeWitty Award from the NAACP for his important work.

As NAACP president, Overton often received complaints about racial unfairness in Austin. People asked him for help with discrimination cases. For example, he helped people who felt they were denied jobs or promotions because of their race.

Lasting Impact

Volma Overton left a strong and lasting impact on Austin. An elementary school was named after him in 2006. The NAACP also named an award after him, now called the DeWitty/Overton award.

Overton also started the first credit union in East Austin. A credit union is like a bank, but it's owned by its members. He also created an annual golf tournament. The money raised from this tournament helped provide scholarships for talented minority students.

The house where Volma Overton lived became a community center for African-Americans in Austin. This house, located on Springdale Road, continued to be a place where people could find help in their fight for fairness and to overcome prejudice. Overton was also very involved in a mentoring program at Oak Spring Elementary. This program aimed to help mostly low-income minority students.

Awards and Recognition

• NAACP Arthur B. DeWitty Award (1967)
• Austin Living Legends award from The Villager newspaper (1990)
• Award for Leadership in Civil Rights, from the University of Texas at Austin (2004)

Resting Place

Volma Overton and his wife, Warneta Hill Overton, are buried in the Texas State Cemetery.