Norma Marcere | |
---|---|
Born |
Canton, Ohio, U.S. | October 21, 1908
Died | August 10, 2004 | (aged 95)
Education | Kent State University |
Occupation(s) | Activist, feminist, educator |
Spouse |
Percy Marcere (
m. 1929–1971) |
Children | 2 |
Honors | Ohio Women's Hall of Fame (1985) |
Norma Snipes Marcere (October 21, 1908 – August 10, 2004) was an American educator. After being rejected from employment opportunities due to her race, Marcere became the first African-American counselor and school psychologist in the Akron City Schools.
Marcere was born on October 21, 1908, in Canton, Ohio. She graduated from Canton McKinley High School in 1926. [1] After graduating from McKinley, Marcere worked to pay for her teaching degree tuition at Kent State University. [2] After earning her teaching degree, Marcere graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in elementary education and a Master of Arts degree in counseling. [3] With these degrees, Marcere applied to teach in her hometown of Canton, however, a superintendent refused to hire her based on her race. [2] [4] As a result, her first teaching placement was at Edmund A. Junior High. As her career developed, she became the first African-American counselor and school psychologist in the Akron City Schools. [2] [4]
In 1969, Marcere was elected a lay member of the Youngstown Diocesan Board of Education. [5] Nearly a decade later, in 1976, Marcere retired from teaching and wrote two autobiographies. [2] The two books were later formed into a play by Lois DiGiacomo in 1994 [6] which was performed in front of an audience of more than 12,000 people. [7]
In 1973, Marcere was named Junior League Woman of the Year. In 1979, Marcere established the Project for Academic Excellence (PAX), a Saturday school for underachieving inner-city elementary students. This led to the development of Study, Think, Read, Investigate, Volunteer and Excel (STRIVE), a program for minority students that focused on social issues and personal responsibility. [8]
In 1991, Marcere was awarded the Norma Award, named after Norma Sigler Atkins Rowlands, for her educational work. [9] In 1998, she earned the Sister Thea Bowman Medallion from the Office for Black Catholic Ministries of the Diocese of Toledo. [10] She was inducted into the Ohio Women's Hall of Fame in 1985.
Marcere died on August 10, 2004, of natural causes. [8]
Norma Marcere | |
---|---|
Born |
Canton, Ohio, U.S. | October 21, 1908
Died | August 10, 2004 | (aged 95)
Education | Kent State University |
Occupation(s) | Activist, feminist, educator |
Spouse |
Percy Marcere (
m. 1929–1971) |
Children | 2 |
Honors | Ohio Women's Hall of Fame (1985) |
Norma Snipes Marcere (October 21, 1908 – August 10, 2004) was an American educator. After being rejected from employment opportunities due to her race, Marcere became the first African-American counselor and school psychologist in the Akron City Schools.
Marcere was born on October 21, 1908, in Canton, Ohio. She graduated from Canton McKinley High School in 1926. [1] After graduating from McKinley, Marcere worked to pay for her teaching degree tuition at Kent State University. [2] After earning her teaching degree, Marcere graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in elementary education and a Master of Arts degree in counseling. [3] With these degrees, Marcere applied to teach in her hometown of Canton, however, a superintendent refused to hire her based on her race. [2] [4] As a result, her first teaching placement was at Edmund A. Junior High. As her career developed, she became the first African-American counselor and school psychologist in the Akron City Schools. [2] [4]
In 1969, Marcere was elected a lay member of the Youngstown Diocesan Board of Education. [5] Nearly a decade later, in 1976, Marcere retired from teaching and wrote two autobiographies. [2] The two books were later formed into a play by Lois DiGiacomo in 1994 [6] which was performed in front of an audience of more than 12,000 people. [7]
In 1973, Marcere was named Junior League Woman of the Year. In 1979, Marcere established the Project for Academic Excellence (PAX), a Saturday school for underachieving inner-city elementary students. This led to the development of Study, Think, Read, Investigate, Volunteer and Excel (STRIVE), a program for minority students that focused on social issues and personal responsibility. [8]
In 1991, Marcere was awarded the Norma Award, named after Norma Sigler Atkins Rowlands, for her educational work. [9] In 1998, she earned the Sister Thea Bowman Medallion from the Office for Black Catholic Ministries of the Diocese of Toledo. [10] She was inducted into the Ohio Women's Hall of Fame in 1985.
Marcere died on August 10, 2004, of natural causes. [8]