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Mississippi Mavens Stand Against Racism, Injustice, and Segregation

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Mississippi history is full of strong African American women who made a stand against racism, injustice, and segregation, or paved the way for others to achieve the American Dream. Ida B. Wells, Ruby Bridges, and Oprah Winfrey each fought for equality of African-Americans in different ways and different time periods, but each has made a major impact on Mississippi and elsewhere in the United States. Ida B. Wells was born in Holy Springs, Mississippi on July 16, 1862. Ida was born into slavery. Ida’s father served on the board of trustees for Rust College so he made education a priority for his 7 children. Ida received early schooling but she had to drop out at the age of 16, when tragedy struck her family. Both her parents and one …show more content…

Not only on Ruby’s first day to Williams Frantz Elementary School but, every morning as Ruby went to school there stood a large crowd of people outside of the school throwing things at her and shouting at her because of the fact that she was an African American. Parents were so angry because of the Ruby attending the school that they started pulling their children out of the school. Ruby and her family went through a lot for their decision to send her to William Frantz Elementary. Teachers were refusing to teach while a black child was enrolled at their school. There was only one teacher that agreed to teach Ruby her name was Barbara Henry. Her father lost his job, there were stores that they shopped at that could no long step a foot in. Ruby was a strong little girl she showed a lot of courage. She never cried nor whimpered. Till this day Ruby still visits the school as an inspirational speaker against racism. Oprah Winfrey was born in Kosciusko, Mississippi on January 29, 1954. Oprah hosted her first TV show People Are Talking which was a very popular TV show. Oprah was recruited by a Chicago TV station to host her own morning show. After a while she became the host her own show called The Oprah Winfrey Show that aired for 25 seasons from 1986 to 2011. I actually met Oprah Winfrey in person she’s a very nice and respectful women. Did you know Oprah Winfrey was the first African American female billionaire in the United States

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