RESEARCH AND RESOURCE

Cliffornia Grady Wimberley

“Cliff” Wimberley was a native of Mt. Olive, North Carolina.  She was part of the Wynn and Grady families.  She and her sisters were known as “The Grady Girls”.  She graduated from Hampton Institute (now Hampton University) in 1951 and returned home to teach.  She was invited to come to Raleigh to teach 3^rd grade at Washington Elementary School. 

She had earlier met William Peele Wimberley when they were both headed to Virginia for college at the train station.  They began dating then but weren’t married until 1959.  By this time, she had not only taught in Raleigh, but had taught for a year in Sagamihara, Japan at the American Dependent School.

She settled in and was active in the community, particularly in areas dealing with education and young people.  Her interest led her to participate in the Panel of American Women, speaking at schools, churches, halls and other places about racism...

I was asked on Facebook who some of the other women were who participated in the Raleigh Chapter of the Panel of American Women.  Here is the list that I have compiled from information I got from Mrs. Jackie Eisen (and the list is not complete).  They are in no particular order, but are listed by race or religion as my lists show (some lists didn't share that information).

Black - Cliff Wimberley, Barbara Bland, Sandra Hardy, Earle Blue, Carolyn Johnson, Cleo Carr, Dolores Walker, Nurry Johnson, Ann Heartley Hunt, Gwen Bailey, Celeste Beatty, Margaret Lockamy, Joan Silvey.

Catholic - Mary Bode, Pat Gessner, Linda Macior, Eileen Moran

Jewish - Jackie  Eisen, Sherry Tove, Harriet Jablonover, Lea Bolt, Sylvia Ruby, Jackie Schlesinger, Ellen Deutsch

WASP (White, Anglo-Saxon, Protestant) - Bettye Martin, Bobbi Armstrong, Becky Basnight Toole, Lindsey Tate, Meta Ellington, Fran Myers, Barbara Parker, Ruth Steen, Pat Warner, Betty Adcock, Margot Maddox

These women were not...