Marlatt, Abby (1916–).

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Marlatt, Abby (1916–).

American civilrights activist. Born 1916 in Kansas; granddau. of Rev. Washington Marlatt (pioneer settler in Kansas) and Julia Ann (Bailey) Marlatt; niece of Abby L. Marlatt (1869–1943); Kansas State University, BS, University of California, Berkeley, PhD.

Became associate professor at University of Kansas (1945); became director of School of Home Economics at University of Kentucky (1956); assisted students in nonviolent protests, including sit ins, to challenge discrimination against blacks in Lexington, KY; assisted in negotiations that led to desegregation of public accommodations; helped form Lexington Chapter of Congress on Racial Equality; inducted into Kentucky Civil Rights Hall of Fame (2001).