Vivian Malone Jones, far right, at the signing of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. He told her that he made a mistake 33 years earlier and that he admired her. The first African-American graduate of the University of Alabama, Vivian Malone Jones, had a placard placed on the grounds of the Mobile County Health Department this past weekend. By the way, do you have any sons? Her parents both worked at Brookley Air Force Base; her father served in maintenance and her mother worked as a domestic servant. Douglas Martin, Vivian Malone Jones, 63, Dies: First Black Graduate of University of Alabama, Nytimes.com, October 14, 2005, https://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/14/us/vivian-malone-jones-63-dies-first-black-graduate-of-university-of.html; Meserette Kentake, Vivian Malone: Civil Rights hero who defied racial segregation, Theweeklychallenger.com, January 12, 2017, http://theweeklychallenger.com/vivian-malone-civil-rights-hero-who-defied-racial-segregation/; Debbie Elliott, Vivian Malone Jones dies at 63, Npr.org, October 15, 2005, https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4960645. She was made famous when George Wallace, the Governor of Alabama, attempted to block her and James Hood from enrolling at the all-white university. She died on October 13, 2005 in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. Born Vivian Juanita Malone on July 15, 1942, in Mobile, AL; died on October 13, 2005, in Atlanta, GA; married Mack Jones (died 2004); children: Michael, Monica. -------f Environmental Justice Contacts ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE CONTACT T.TSTTNO as nf nPfPmiher 04, 1995 USKPA - HKADQirARTRKK CONTACTS- 401 M Street S.W., Washington, B.C. Last edited on 31 December 2022, at 12:39, attempted to block her and James Hood from enrolling, Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, "Vivian Malone Jones, 63, Dies; First Black Graduate of University of Alabama", "Vivian Malone Jones and the VEP: From Integration to Voter Registration", "400 Years of the African American Civil Rights Experience", "Alabama Department of Archives and History, Governor George C. Wallace's School House Door Speech", "For Generations, Black Women Have Envisioned a Better, Fairer American Politics", "Vivian Malone Jones Dies; Integrated U-Ala", "F.G. at George Wallace standoff YouTube", "The Stand in the Schoolhouse Door | Forrest Gump February (TSB032) YouTube", "Historical marker in Mobile honors Vivan Malone Jones", "Mobile dedicates street to Vivian Malone, first black U. of Alabama graduate", "Honoring the legacy, history of Mobile's minority businesses", "Juneteenth spotlight: Vivian's Door makes room for Black entrepreneurs | blissforsingles.com", https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2019-07/documents/2019_honorawards_booklet-4print_s.pdf, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Vivian_Malone_Jones&oldid=1130685280, This page was last edited on 31 December 2022, at 12:39. The move by Jones was seen as another bold attempt to right the unwritten rule of the all-white university. You may not live in a time of great social change as I did, but you will just as certainly face moral choices. Ironically, Jones was chosen by the George Wallace Family Foundation to be the first recipient of their Lurleen B. Wallace Award of Courage in 1996. Jones died of stroke complications at the age of 63. It was a tortuous journey but Jones graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in business management. [1], Malone was born in Mobile, Mobile County, Alabama in 1942, the fourth of eight children. She was married to Mack Jones, a physician, who died in 2004. After graduation, Malone had difficulty finding work in Alabama. [22] Each year, an individual who has demonstrated integrity and consistently contributed to social justice in the Environmental Protection Agency or in the greater community is presented with this award in memoriam of Jones and the legacy of her work.[22]. She was made famous when George Wallace, the Governor of Alabama, attempted to block her and James Hood from enrolling at the all-white university. CHIDEYA:. Vivian Juanita Malone Jones; edit. Vivian Malone, 20 years old that summer, had enrolled at historically black Alabama A & M University in Huntsville. He told her that he made a mistake 33 years earlier and that he admired her. No bomb materialized, but that November, there were three bomb blasts at the university, one of. | Privacy Policy By 1978, the Voter Education project had assisted in the voter registration of about 3 million Black individuals. Her parents both worked at Brookley Air Force Base; her father served in maintenance and her mother worked as a domestic servant. She credited her solid upbringing and strong religious belief for the strength to challenge segregation, having set her mind simply on going to class and doing the best I could. The actual reason, however, lay with the Alabamas school segregation laws. even prouder of Autherine Lucy's portrait that hangs in the Ferguson Center and that of Arthur Shores in the Library. Wallace could not interfere with their. A native of Mobile, Ala., Jones earned a bachelors degree at Alabama A&M, a predominantly black university. Vivian Malone Jones became the first African American to graduate from the formerly segregated University of Alabama on May 30, 1965. Vivian Juanita Malone Jones (July 15, 1942 October 13, 2005) was one of the first two black students to enroll at the University of Alabama in 1963, and in 1965 became the university's first black graduate. 27 May 2022. She applied for admission to the University of Alabama because the institution where she studied had lost its accreditation. Thanks for subscribing! On June 11, 1963, Malone and Hood, accompanied by United States Deputy Attorney General Nicholas Katzenbach and a three-car motorcade full of federal marshals, arrived at the University of Alabama's campus with the intention to enroll. Jones had a son, a daughter, three grandchildren, four sisters, and three brothers. A classical case was that of Autherine Lucy, an African-American woman who gained admission to its library science program. The 1965 graduate also . Malone and Hood then entered the building, albeit through another door. But as glorious and joyous as this day is, I must confess that my affection for the University did not develop immediately. Kentake spends her free time reading, researching, and writing up the posts on the site. [3][12] Additionally, in 2004, the Alabama State Legislature honored her by passing a resolution in commemoration of her outstanding achievements. On that eventful day, Alabama became the last state in the union to yield to the force of law and the weight of conscience. He returned to the University of Alabama in 1997 to take a doctorate in higher education. [4] Malone had wanted to pursue a degree in accounting, a field of study not offered by Alabama A&M at the time. In June 2003, the 40th anniversary of successful integration at Alabama, Vivian Malone Jones spoke of her debt to the woman who had first fought its racial barrier. Peter Thiel, Just the idea that you are religious doesn't help at all. Vivian Malone was one of the 1st two African American students to enroll at the University of Alabama in 1963. Unknown. Waiting for them on campus and blocking the entryway to Foster Auditorium was Governor Wallace, flanked by a group of state troopers. FamousFix profile for Vivian Malone Jones including biography information, wikipedia facts, photos, galleries, news, youtube videos, quotes, posters . Career: Department of Veterans Affairs, employee and personnel specialist, 1965-? . She had her formal education at a historically black school in Huntsville. After two years of deliberation and court proceedings, Malone and Hood were granted permission to enroll in the university by order of District Court Judge Harlan Grooms in 1963. (The first African-American at the university, founded in 1831, was Autherine Lucy, who arrived in February 1956 to pursue a masters degree in library science. [4] In this role, she helped provide assistance and funds to local voter registration projects. In a 2004 interview with the Chronicle of Higher Education, she recalled being 12 years old and reading the front-page story in the Mobile newspaper . While in Washington, she attended George Washington University and pursued a master's degree in public administration. But it's still rock n' roll. As Malone and Hood waited in a car, Deputy Attorney General Katzenbach and a small team of federal marshals confronted Wallace to demand that Malone and Hood be allowed entry by order of the federal court and for Wallace to step aside. Her entrance to the university came as the civil rights struggle raged across the South. Vivian Malone Jones was one of the two students whose enrollment Alabama Governor George C. Wallace attempted to block by positioning himself in the doorway of Foster Auditorium. "We need this space for both the campus and our community," said Dr. Cynthia Warrick, president of Stillman College. She also worked at the Environmental Protection Agency as director of civil rights and urban affairs and director of environmental justice before retiring in 1996 to sell life insurance. She was made famous by defying Alabama Governor George Wallace's infamous "stand in the schoolhouse door" to block her . I could not have done what I did without Stillman College and the people of Tuscaloosa's West End. [8] As she and Hood entered the building, they were met with surprising applause from white supporters of integration. In 2018, a street in downtown Mobile was named in her honor. If there is any lesson for the graduates to take from my experience, it is that you must always be ready to seize the moment. The governor pledged to uphold segregation in the state, coining the now infamous slogan of "Segregation now, segregation forever." But after the arrival of federal guard troops and four and a half. My point is that turning points in personal lives and those of communities come through preparation. The second students name was James Hood another black student from Gadsden, Alabama. AND SO MUST YOU. Famous quotes containing the word death: "if once the message greet him That his True Love doth stay, If Deathshould come and meet him, Love will find out the way! She had seven siblings. | About Us When I arrived here on June 11, 1963, years of preparation had gone into making it happen. A Sleight of History: University of Alabamas Foster Auditorium, http://www.bhamwiki.com/w/Vivian_Malone_Jones, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vivian_Malone_Jones, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foster_Auditorium. [13] Her funeral services were held at the Martin Luther King Jr. International Chapel at Morehouse College. Each year, an individual who has demonstrated integrity and consistently contributed to social justice in the Environmental Protection Agency or in the greater community is presented with this award in memoriam of Jones and the legacy of her work. In November 1963 there were three bomb blasts at the University of Alabama, one of them just four blocks from Vivian Malone Jones dormitory. Her parents both worked at Brookley Air Force Base; her father served in maintenance and her mother worked as a domestic servant. Of course, to mention names risks leaving out so many of equal importance to my well-being, but for reasons you 'll understand, I must mention one Stillman student, Mack Jones. And I often think of what they did for Autherine Lucy, that brave and courageous woman, who first opened the door of this University in 1956 only to have it slammed in her face by a howling mob that the University did not, perhaps could not, stand up to. [4][2] Katzenbach took Malone up to her dormitory and told her to see her room and eat lunch alone in the dining room if she became hungry. . [2] Malone and Hood then entered the building, albeit through another door. On May 30, 1965, Malone became the first Black to graduate from the University of Alabama in its 134 years of existence, earning a degree in business management with a B-plus average. [13], Jones was married to Mack Arthur Jones, an obstetrician, who predeceased her in 2004. (Aug. 12, 2000). [2], President John F. Kennedy federalized the Alabama National Guard later the same day, which put them under the command of the president, rather than the governor of Alabama. As a teenager, Malone was often involved in community organizations to end racial discrimination and worked closely with local leaders of the movements to work for desegregation in schools.[2]. I also remember fondly and warmly administrators and faculty who went out of their way to ease my stay. To get an accredited degree, she applied to the University of Alabamas School of Commerce and Business Administration. Samuel Wilson When Daniel Boone goes by at night The phantom deer arise And all lost, wild America Is burning in their eyes. He had sworn to ensure that schools remain segregated and made his infamous slogan Segregation now, segregation forever.. Vivian Malone (Jones)(1942 2005) By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS. In order to further her education, Malone would have to transfer to another university that offered more advanced classes. Accept Read More. On that day, all eyes were on our campus, witnessing both . On June 11, Malone and Hood pre-registered in the morning at the Birmingham courthouse. These and other icons of African-American heritage and accomplishment make this a friendlier and more inspiring campus. [2] They then entered the gym and registered as students of the university, with Malone being accepted into the university as a junior. She was married to Mack Jones. He also declared that Gov. ; She was a research analyst and civil rights activist. I try to eat well, try to sleep. She first met Jones when he was hired as her driver at the University of Alabama. Upon her retirement, she began to sell life insurance. After Evers murder, Malone said she felt even more determined not to give up. In February 1961, she enrolled in Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University, one of the few colleges for black students in the state. Governor George Wallace famously blocked the doors of the registration center. Vivian Malone Jones incited segregationists by enrolling in an all-white University of Alabama on June 11, 1963. Vivian Malone Jones, the fourth child and eldest daughter of Willie Malone and Bertha Davis Malone, was born in Vredenburgh, Alabama on July 15, 1942. They then entered the gym and registered as students of the university, with Malone being accepted into the university as a junior. They discussed forgiveness. Later in September four little girls would die in the dynamiting of the 16th Street Baptist Church. [3] To earn an accredited degree in accounting, Malone would have to transfer to another university. Don't mistake me. The president federalized the Alabama National Guard, placing it under his command, rather than the governors. Copyright 2023 NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. Death Row USA: Death Penalty Cases and Statistics by State. Malone Jones credits the support she received from Stillman College and the Tuscaloosa West End community for helping her graduate. Out of fear for her safety, the university hired a driver for her, a student at Stillman College in Tuscaloosa named Mack Jones. Malone is the youngest of eight siblings and the sister of Vivian Malone Jones, who, in 1963, became one of the first African American students to enroll at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. They disclosed that her attempts to apply to the Mobile campus and integrate with the school had instigated violent retaliation from the local white community from which the family would not receive much protection. Jones died following a stroke at age 63 on October 13, 2005, in an Atlanta hospital. Citizen by choice, not by force: I am American. See full bio Born: July 15, 1942 in Mobile, Alabama, USA Died: When U.S. District Court Judge Harlan Grooms ordered Malone and Hood admitted, the two arrived on campus on June 11, 1963, in a three-car motorcade accompanied by the U.S. Deputy Attorney General Nicholas Katzenbach and federal marshals. African-american student Vivian Malone Jones walks through a crowd en route to register for classes at the University of Alabama, US, 11th June 1963. It had to take the federal courts for the school to recognize Jones admission with James before registration. She and another Black student called James Hood were accompanied to the University of Alabama on their first day there by Nicholas Katzenbach, deputy of U.S.Attorney GeneralRobert F. Kennedy. In the same interview, she said that one of her strongest memories was of how whyte students refused to make eye contact with her or return her smile. "The Schoolhouse Door". Her parents emphasized the importance of receiving an education and made sure that their children attended college. She remained in the dormitory until the situation was determined to have calmed down. Marshal and Katzenbach, it was decided that Malone would not be taken out of school or unenrolled because of the bombings. Jones died of a stroke on October 13, 2005, in an Atlanta hospital at the age of 63. YWCA was founded for young women," Rhodes said. I had been active in my own community's efforts to end segregation. In 2014, the Environmental Protection Agency established the Vivian Malone Jones Legacy Award in her honor. Even prouder of Autherine Lucy, an African-American woman who gained admission to its Library program... Enrolling in an Atlanta hospital at the University of Alabamas school of Commerce business. A research analyst and civil rights struggle raged across the South Lucy, an,. Washington, she applied to the University as a domestic servant American students enroll. 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