User:Chicagoling/Helen lemme

Helen Lemme (1904-1968) was an African American civil rights advocate who lived most of her life in Iowa City, Iowa. Helen Lemme was born Frances Helen Renfrow to Eva Craig and Lee Augustus Renfrow [e] in Grinnell, Iowa on February 25, 1904. She was the oldest of six children and worked as a housekeeper to help her family financially. As a student she once won an essay contest but was not given the gold medal prize because of her race.

Lemme graduated from Grinnell High School, receiving a $5.00 gold coin scholarship. She began her university studies in 1920 at Fisk University in Nashville, TN, but moved to State University of Iowa in Iowa City in 1924. At University of Iowa, she studied science and biology and served as the president of the Delta Sigma Theta sorority. She graduated in 1928 and began work as a laboratory research technician in Dept. of Internal Medicine.

On August 26, 1929, she married Allyn Lemme; they later had two sons, named Lawrence and Paul. Helen and Allyn Lemme used their Iowa City home at 603 S. Capitol Street to provide room and board to African American students at University of Iowa, who were not allowed to live in dormitories until 1946. Duke Ellington once played at one of her all-night house parties.

Lemme devoted her life to the rights of African Americans and women, and she was an active member of the Democratic Party. She served as a precinct committeewoman, a delegate at state and county conventions, and member of the Democratic Party Black Caucus. She also advocated for greater representation of Black voters at 1944 Democratic National Convention in Chicago. Locally, Lemme was involved in the in the Human Rights Commission and the Iowa City Area Council of Churches. She was elected President of the Iowa City League of Women Voters in 1946 and Iowa City Woman of the Year in 1955. A few years later, she was the first Black woman in Iowa City to be awarded the Best Citizen of the Year.

Helen Lemme died on December 15, 1968, from smoke inhalation in a fire in her home. In 1970, a new elementary school in Iowa City was named Helen Lemme Elementary School, in her honor. In 1984, University of Iowa African American graduate students founded the Helen Lemme Reading club, to serve as both a forum for African-Americans to discuss literature by or about African-Americans and as a support group for African-American students living in a predominantly white community.

== References ==

“Helen Lemme.” Iowa City Community School District. 12 Feb. 2009 .

Kelley, Kayla. “Helen Lemme: A Life of Activism.” The Daily Iowan 18 Feb. 2008. 12 Feb. 2009 .