Lurma Rackley: Difference between revisions
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== Biography == |
== Biography == |
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Rackley is the daughter of civil rights activist [[Gloria Blackwell]]. Her mother and father got divorced when she and her sister were very young and were adopted by her mother's second husband, Larney G. Rackley, a professor at [[South Carolina State University]].<ref>Carolyn Click, [http://www.claflin.edu/News/templates/Claflin-Full-Article.aspx?articleid=884&zoneid=1 "Orangeburg civil rights icon, and Claflin alumna Dr. Gloria Rackley Blackwell dies"] [[Claflin University]] (December 10, 2010). Retrieved June 2, 2011</ref> |
Rackley is the daughter of civil rights activist [[Gloria Blackwell]]. Her mother and father got divorced when she and her sister were very young and were adopted by her mother's second husband, Larney G. Rackley, a professor at [[South Carolina State University]].<ref name="claflin">Carolyn Click, [http://www.claflin.edu/News/templates/Claflin-Full-Article.aspx?articleid=884&zoneid=1 "Orangeburg civil rights icon, and Claflin alumna Dr. Gloria Rackley Blackwell dies"] [[Claflin University]] (December 10, 2010). Retrieved June 2, 2011</ref> |
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Active with her mother in the [[Orangeburg, South Carolina]] [[African-American Civil Rights Movement (1955–1968)| |
Active with her mother in the [[Orangeburg, South Carolina]] [[African-American Civil Rights Movement (1955–1968)|Freedom Movement]], Rackley was arrested sixteen times by the age of thirteen.<ref name="histmakr">[http://www.thehistorymakers.com/biography/biography.asp?bioindex=1283&category=Civicmakers "Gloria Blackwell (Rackley) Biography"] The History Makers. Retrieved June 3, 2011</ref> Once, she and her mother missed a court date when they used the [[Racial segregation in the United States|"whites only"]] restroom in the courthouse and were arrested.<ref name="histmakr" /> Although an [[honors student]],<ref name="histmakr" /> at the age of 14, she was sentenced to seven years in reform school<ref name="tandd">Richard Reid, [http://www.thetandd.com/article_356cbc9e-3e10-11e0-883e-001cc4c03286.html "The Gloria Rackley-Blackwell story"] ''The Times and Democrat'', (February 22, 2011). Retrieved June 3, 2011</ref> because of her many arrests as part of the Orangeburg Freedom Movement. Then-attorney [[Matthew J. Perry]] appealed the sentence and obtained her release.<ref name="claflin" /><ref name="tandd" /> |
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Rackley received a [[Bachelor of Arts]] degree from Clark College, now [[Clark Atlanta University]] in 1970 and a special [[Masters]] degree from the [[Columbia University School of Journalism]] that same year.<ref name="whoswho">[http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G2-2509914820.html Lurma M. Rackley] ''Who's Who Among African Americans'' (2009). Retrieved June 2, 2011</ref> She got her first job after college in late 1970 at ''The Evening Star'', which later became ''[[The Washington Star]]''.<ref name="interview">Amanda Miller Littlejohn, [http://www.millerlittlejohnmedia.com/2009/04/02/test-drive-my-job-lurma-rackley/#more-447 "Test Drive My Job: Seasoned Media Professional Lurma Rackley"] Mopwater PR + Media Notes (April 2, 2009). Retrieved June 2. 2011</ref> In 1979, she left to work for the city government in Washington, D.C., eventually becoming the press secretary for [[Washington, D.C.]] mayor [[Marion Barry]]<ref name="washcity" /> during some of Barry's public struggles. |
Rackley received a [[Bachelor of Arts]] degree from Clark College, now [[Clark Atlanta University]] in 1970 and a special [[Masters]] degree from the [[Columbia University School of Journalism]] that same year.<ref name="whoswho">[http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G2-2509914820.html Lurma M. Rackley] ''Who's Who Among African Americans'' (2009). Retrieved June 2, 2011</ref> She got her first job after college in late 1970 at ''The Evening Star'', which later became ''[[The Washington Star]]''.<ref name="interview">Amanda Miller Littlejohn, [http://www.millerlittlejohnmedia.com/2009/04/02/test-drive-my-job-lurma-rackley/#more-447 "Test Drive My Job: Seasoned Media Professional Lurma Rackley"] Mopwater PR + Media Notes (April 2, 2009). Retrieved June 2. 2011</ref> In 1979, she left to work for the city government in Washington, D.C., eventually becoming the press secretary for [[Washington, D.C.]] mayor [[Marion Barry]]<ref name="washcity" /> during some of Barry's public struggles. |
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Revision as of 21:43, 3 June 2011
Lurma Rackley is an American author, journalist and publicist. Petey Greene asked her to collaborate with him on his autobiography, recording audiotaped interviews with her just before he died. She published her book about Greene in 2004.
Biography
Rackley is the daughter of civil rights activist Gloria Blackwell. Her mother and father got divorced when she and her sister were very young and were adopted by her mother's second husband, Larney G. Rackley, a professor at South Carolina State University.[1]
Active with her mother in the Orangeburg, South Carolina Freedom Movement, Rackley was arrested sixteen times by the age of thirteen.[2] Once, she and her mother missed a court date when they used the "whites only" restroom in the courthouse and were arrested.[2] Although an honors student,[2] at the age of 14, she was sentenced to seven years in reform school[3] because of her many arrests as part of the Orangeburg Freedom Movement. Then-attorney Matthew J. Perry appealed the sentence and obtained her release.[1][3]
Rackley received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Clark College, now Clark Atlanta University in 1970 and a special Masters degree from the Columbia University School of Journalism that same year.[4] She got her first job after college in late 1970 at The Evening Star, which later became The Washington Star.[5] In 1979, she left to work for the city government in Washington, D.C., eventually becoming the press secretary for Washington, D.C. mayor Marion Barry[6] during some of Barry's public struggles.
In 1981, Rackley was asked to write an article about Greene for the Washington North Star. After the interview, Greene spoke to her about collaborating with him to write his autobiography.[6] Over the course of a year, they recorded audiotaped interviews until Greene fell terminally ill.[6] After Greene's death, interest in publishing the book weakened. Rackley eventually published it herself in 2004.[6]
After eleven years of working for the city, Rackley left to work for Hill and Knowlton, a public relations firm, where she was the vice president in charge of media relations.[4] She then went to head up the communications department of Amnesty International USA. She then went to Eddie Bauer, where she set up their corporate social responsibility unit. She then went to head up media relations at CARE[5] and now works for Habitat for Humanity and as a freelance writer.
Personal
She has one son, Rumal Rackley, from her relationship with Gil Scott-Heron.[7][8] She lives in Atlanta.
Books
- Kenneth Walker, Earl Caldwell, Lurma Rackley, Black American Witness: Reports from the Front (1994). Lion House Publishing. ISBN 1886446105
- Lurma Rackley, Laugh If You Like, Ain’t a Damn Thing Funny: The Life Story of Ralph “Petey” Greene as Told to Lurma Rackley (2004)
References
- ^ a b Carolyn Click, "Orangeburg civil rights icon, and Claflin alumna Dr. Gloria Rackley Blackwell dies" Claflin University (December 10, 2010). Retrieved June 2, 2011
- ^ a b c "Gloria Blackwell (Rackley) Biography" The History Makers. Retrieved June 3, 2011
- ^ a b Richard Reid, "The Gloria Rackley-Blackwell story" The Times and Democrat, (February 22, 2011). Retrieved June 3, 2011
- ^ a b Lurma M. Rackley Who's Who Among African Americans (2009). Retrieved June 2, 2011
- ^ a b Amanda Miller Littlejohn, "Test Drive My Job: Seasoned Media Professional Lurma Rackley" Mopwater PR + Media Notes (April 2, 2009). Retrieved June 2. 2011
- ^ a b c d Amanda S. Miller, "Talk to Me" Washington City Paper (August 3, 2007). Retrieved June 2, 2011
- ^ Patrice Gaines, "Gil Scott-Heron Remembered as Tortured Genius" blAck Americaweb (May 31, 2011). Retrieved June 2, 2011
- ^ Courtland Milloy, "Protest poet was more than “The Revolution" The Washington Post (June 1, 2011). Retrieved June 2, 2011