Hello Beautiful People,
Today we celebrate Thanksgiving, a day to reflect and be thankful for what God is doing in our lives.
But today, we also celebrate the 100th birthday of one of the greatest civil rights leaders in American history. Her name is Frankie Muse Freeman and she lives right here in Saint Louis, Missouri. Last month, my wife and I attended a birthday bash for Ms. Freeman. The guest list included Missouri Governor Nixon, Saint Louis City Mayor Francis Slay, Missouri Senators Roy Blunt and Claire McCaskill and about one thousand guests. It was an honor to be have been invited and to witness such a historic event.
Frankie Muse Freeman – Photo courtesy of Missouri History Museum
But you may be wondering,
Who is Frankie Muse Freeman? What was her role in the Civil Rights Movement? Why do I need to care? I am so glad you asked.
Born in segregated Virginia in 1916 to William and Maude Muse, Ms. Freeman attended college at Hampton Institute (now University) and Howard University. After graduating with her law degree in 1947, she and her husband moved to his hometown of Saint Louis, where she sought employment at several law firms. When she did not hear back from any of the firms, Ms. Freeman decided that she would start her own law practice, working on divorce and criminal cases. Soon after, she then turned her focus to work as legal counsel for the NAACP, fighting racial injustice in Saint Louis. In 1949, Ms. Freeman fought the Saint Louis Board of Education for equal opportunities for the black students attending Hadley Vocational Technical School. In the video below, we hear in Frankie’s own words, the importance of this case.
In another important case, Ms. Freeman challenged the Saint Louis Housing Authority in 1954 that allowed legal racial discrimination in the city’s public housing. That court case ended the legalized discrimination,and later Freeman worked as a staff attorney for the St. Louis Land Clearance and Housing Authorities. She began as an associate general counsel and later became the general counsel of the St. Louis Housing Authority. She served in these positions from 1956 to 1970.
President Lyndon Johnson nominated Ms. Freeman to be in a position on the United States Commission on Civil Rights in 1964. In the video below, Ms. Freeman recounts meeting Johnson and what it meant to be the first black woman on the Commission, a position she held until 1979. Frankie also served on the Community Services Administration during Jimmy Carter’s administration, and later on the Citizen’s Commission on Civil Rights.
Ms. Freeman’s life has been an inspiration to me and many people in various walks of life.
- She graduated from law school at a time when it was difficult and almost impossible for black women to go to college.
- She started her own law practice when no law firm would hire her.
- She worked with several United States Presidential Commissions to end racial discrimination and improve the country.
Happy Birthday Ms. Freeman!
Thank you for all the work you have done to make this country better for all the people who live here. We wouldn’t have come this far without you.
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