Who Was 'Autherine'?

Subject: Who Was 'Autherine'?
From: Doctor John
Date: 28 Mar 00 - 12:48 PM

This lovely song appears on the Pete Seeger Folkways album "Love Songs for Friends and Foes" but apart from what I can deduce from the words I've never been able to discover who she was. And I can't look a forename up in a biographical dictionary. Any ideas? Dr John

Subject: RE: Who Was 'Autherine'?
From: Ebbie
Date: 28 Mar 00 - 01:01 PM

Doctor John, I typed autherine into a Yahoo search box and got lots of material. One says Hazel Dean Autherine, born 1929. Other material refers to the civil rights movement. Does any of this help? Ebbie

Subject: RE: Who Was 'Autherine'?
From: GUEST,Frank Hamilton
Date: 28 Mar 00 - 07:33 PM

Autherine Lucy was a young girl who was subjected to the Southern brutality during the Civil Rights Movement.

Subject: RE: Who Was 'Autherine'?
From: Sandy Paton
Date: 28 Mar 00 - 11:25 PM

Autherine Lucy was the first African-American student to enter the University of Alabama, by court order, over the protests of then-governor George Wallace.

Sandy

Subject: RE: Who Was 'Autherine'?
From: Doctor John
Date: 29 Mar 00 - 12:14 PM

Thanks for the information. Dr John

Subject: RE: Who Was 'Autherine'?
From: GUEST,Pete Peterson
Date: 29 Mar 00 - 02:17 PM

Far be it from me to disagree with the distinguished Mr. Paton but I believe she was at U. Alab. in about 1953, at least one governor before Wallace. I think Patterson but I am not sure. Gosh, haven't thought of that album in years! Right next to Listen Mr. Bilbo which is an even earlier song

Subject: RE: Who Was 'Autherine'?
From: Sandy Paton
Date: 30 Mar 00 - 02:28 AM

You've gotta be right, Pete. Autherine Lucy's travail was in 1956, before George Wallace became governor of Alabama. My memory of him standing in the doorway is clear, but it wasn't to block Autherine Lucy's entrance.

Good on you, lad! I stand corrected. See you at NEFFA! Sandy (who has earned the occasional senior moment)

Subject: RE: Who Was 'Autherine'?
From: GUEST,Pete Peterson
Date: 30 Mar 00 - 02:40 PM

Sandy-- glad between the two of us we could get it right (you remembered 1956, which I had wrong) See you at Neffa, to which I look forward! best to Caroline!