Juanita Abernathy | |
|---|---|
 Abernathy in 1970 | |
| Born | Juanita Odessa Jones (1931-12-01)December 1, 1931 Uniontown, Alabama, U.S. |
| Died | September 12, 2019(2019-09-12) (aged 87) Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. |
| Alma mater | Tennessee State University |
| Occupations | Civil rights activist, educator, businesswoman |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 5, includingDonzaleigh andRalph III |
Juanita Odessa Jones Abernathy (December 1, 1931 – September 12, 2019) was an American civil rights activist. She was the wife of fellow civil rights activistRalph Abernathy.[1]
Abernathy was born on December 1, 1931, inUniontown, Alabama. She studied atSelma University[2] and theTennessee State University, graduating from both. She worked as an educator and saleswoman forMary Kay Cosmetics.[3][4] She also served on the board of trustees for theMorehouse School of Religion, and on the board of directors for the Atlanta Fulton CountyLeague of Women Voters and theMetropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority.[4]
Abernathy was a part of the team that organized theMontgomery bus boycott of December 1955 through December 1956.[5][6] She lived inMontgomery until January 1957, when her home, which was the meetingplace for organizing the boycott, was bombed by white supremacists; afterward she moved toAtlanta.[7][8] In 1965, she walked in theSelma to Montgomery marches.[4] She and her husband, Ralph Abernathy, were key members in the founding of theSouthern Christian Leadership Conference.[6]
In 2013, Abernathy was honored by theAtlanta City Council with a proclamation.[9]
She married Ralph Abernathy on August 31, 1952.[10][11][3] Together, they had five children: Ralph David Abernathy Jr., Juandalynn Ralpheda,Donzaleigh Avis,Ralph David Abernathy III, and Kwame Luthuli Abernathy.[11][12] Abernathy Jr. died at two days old, while their other children lived on to adulthood.[12] She enrolled her children into white schools to fight segregation in schools.[7] She died on September 12, 2019, aged 87, in Atlanta.[6]
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| National | |
