Alfreda Marguerita Duster

Alfreda Marguerita Barnett Duster was born in 1904 in Chicago. She was the youngest daughter of Ida Wells-Barnett. Duster earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Chicago in 1924 and went on to work in her father’s law practice, where she met and married Ben Duster. They had five children together.

In 1945, Ben Duster died, and Alfreda Duster began working with a community organization called the Southside Community Committee to support her family. Duster was also involved in her local school Parent-Teacher Association, and in 1950 became the first Black person to win the PTA’s Mother of the Year Award.

Duster sent all of her children to college and into professional careers. As her children left home, Duster devoted herself to having her mother’s unfinished autobiography published. The book was finally published in 1970, and Duster began a career of public speaking to raise awareness about her mother’s legacy. Duster was awarded an honorary doctorate from Chicago State University in 1978 in recognition of her life’s work. She died in 1983.

Source:: [http://blackhistoryeveryday.tumblr.com/post/70231022411/alfreda-bar...]