User:Jeremybelson/Lucile Bluford

"Lucile Harris Bluford" (1911-2003) was an editor and publisher of the Kansas City Call. She was most famous for her civil rights activism, especially in Education.

Bluford applied to the Master of Journalism program at the University of Missouri School of Journalism and was accepted, however during enrollment, was dismissed because of race. The university expected African-American students to attend Lincoln University in Jefferson City. Lincoln University did not have a journalism program. On October 13, 1939, after trying to enter the University of Missouri's program 11 times, Bluford filed the first of several lawsuits. By 1941 her case had made it to the supreme court which ruled in her favor. After the court ruling in her favor, the University of Missouri responded by closing their Jouralism Graduate program stating there was too few staff members because of WWII. In 1989 the University of Missouri awarded her an honorary degree which she accepted, “not only for myself, but for the thousands of black students” who had faced discrimination.

http://shs.umsystem.edu/famousmissourians/journalists/bluford/bluford.shtml

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