Lucy, Autherine Juanita (1929–)

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Lucy, Autherine Juanita (1929–)

African-American civil-rights activist. Name variations: Autherine Foster. Born Oct 5, 1929, in Shiloh, Alabama; dau. of Minnie Hosea Lucy and Milton Cornelius Lucy (farmer); Miles College, BA, 1952; m. Rev. Hugh Foster; children: 5.

The 1st African-American to attempt to integrate the University of Alabama, eventually won a federal lawsuit that required the university to admit her as a graduate student in library science (1956); on the 3rd day of classes, faced hostile mobs and needed a police escort; was expelled the next day, with the university claiming it was for her safety and that of the other students; returned to the university (1989) and earned an MA in education (1992).

See also Women in World History.