I was born in Sevierville, Tennessee, to a mother, who before
marriage was a schoolteacher and a father, who was a Brick Mason
by trade, and did farming on the side. He also raised chickens
for a hotel. I was the only girl in a family of seven boys.
During my early school years, no provision was made for the education
of Black (Negro at the time) children beyond the eighth grade.
After graduating from the eighth grade, I stayed out of school
for a year, then my parents sent me to another town, Greenville,
Tennessee to live with my mother's brother to attend high school.
I was active in school activities and graduated as valedictorian
of the class.
I dearly loved school, but my parents could not afford to send
me to college, so for one year, I worked as a clerk in my uncle's
grocery store. Then my parents agreed, reluctantly, to let me
go to New York, under the care of my sister-in-law, whose husband,
my brother, was serving in the Army during World War II. In New
York, I worked three years as a clerk in the Processing Division
of the Internal Revenue Service. When the war ended, so did my
job. I then worked one year as a Clerk-Typist for the National
League of Nursing Education.
During World War II, I became a Pen Pal with a Navy buddy of
one of my brothers. After the War and after a few visits, we were
married and lived in Peoria, Illinois, where he was attending
Bradley University. We had two daughters and I am proud to say
that while I could not attend college, both daughters are college
graduates and successful in their chosen careers. I also have
three grandsons who are also college graduates.
My thirst for an education led me to take courses at various
places, a business college in New York and later in Champaign.
While I did not work outside the home for the first twelve years
of marriage, I kept the children of friends so their mothers could
work. I also did ironing for some University of Illinois students
during the days of the starched shirts and blouses. I did typing
for some University students. Thinking that I could go to the
University of Illinois at night, I received a permit to enter
the University. Only then did I learn that night courses were
not offered for under-graduates. So I continued my quest for knowledge
by taking a correspondence course from the University. I have
taken several classes from Parkland College as well as classes
in the Adult Education Programs in the Champaign and Urbana School
Systems.
I worked twenty-three years in the Superintendent's Office of
the Urbana School
District #116 and was Payroll Clerk for twenty-one of those years.
After retiring in 1983, I became affiliated with Provena Covenant
Medical Center, where I have delivered Patient Mail for the past
fifteen or so years. I am a member of the Salem Baptist Church.
Mary Lucille Birden White
)
denotes original charter members of the Champaign County Section
of the National Council of Negro Women.