by Latrisha McDuffie
Concord Missionary Ba
ptist Church Youth Drama Ministry under the direction of Dona Mitchell; founder of Dona Gassaway Mitchell Productions will present “The Journey of Juanita Craft” at the “Old Red Museum” February 24, 2012 at 7:00 p.m. The production will chronicle the life and service of Civil Rights activist Juanita Craft. The play, sponsored in part byOldRedMuseum, will be the first Black History Production presented at the 1892 restored courthouse and is free to the public.
Juanita Craft was born in 1902 in Round Rock,Texas. Her father David was a high school principal and her mother was a seamstress and teacher. Her grandparents had been born slaves just two generations before. Craft moved from Round Rock toDallasin 1925, she worked as a maid at the Adolphus Hotel and later she followed in her mother’s footsteps and work as a seamstress.
In 1935 Craft joined the NAACP, and would eventually forge ahead to become a towering figure in the Civil Rights’ Movement. In 1942, she became the Dallas NAACP membership chairman. In 1944, she became the first African-American woman inTexasto ever vote in a public election.
The Dallas NAACP in 1946 would appoint her as Youth Council advisor. Her service with young people became the model for other NAACP youth groups throughout theU.S.In 1955, she organized a group of young people and picketed the State Fair of Texas to protest the policy of admitting African-Americans only on Negro Achievement Day. Craft along with Lulu Belle White would become instrumental in organizing 182 branches of the NAACP in eleven years. .
She attempted to help enroll the first African-American student at theUniversityofNorth Texas(Then the North Texas State College), a battle that would eventually be fought and won in the court room. In 1955, she organized a protest of the State Fair of Texas against its policy of admitting blacks only on “Negro Achievement Day.” Craft also organized protests and pickets of segregated lunch counters, restaurants, theaters and public transportation.
For over 50 years of service, Craft was presented with many awards, including the NAACP Golden Heritage Life Membership Award and the Eleanor Roosevelt Humanitarian Award.
Today her home, now the Juanita J. Craft Civil Rights House, onWarren Avenuein Wheatley Places Historic District inSouth Dallasstands as a final tribute to the journey of a humble seamstress that changed the course of history.
“The Journey of Juanita Craft” will include actual speeches that were given by Craft. Joslyn Mitchell will give a rousing rendition of the Commencement vs. Graduation speech and Meaghan Pearson will recite “A Right to an Education” speech.
