by Dr. Christine Marin
The month of February, 2022….African American History Month. An annual observance that recognizes the contributions of African Americans to the history and development of the United States. Today, I recognize and honor Daisy Nelson Moore and Marietta Cooper Bryant of the Globe-Miami, Arizona public schools.
These women, who had been respected for their teaching abilities, were now spurned because of their race and the race of their students. Daisy Nelson Moore taught in Globe at the segregated school, the Dunbar Elementary School. And Marietta Cooper Bryant taught in Miami, Arizona, at the segregated school, the Jefferson Elementary School. Their courageous pursuits of their civil rights in 1951 opened the door for educators of color to teach in our state’s newly integrated schools.
Daisy Nelson Moore and Marietta Cooper Bryant were inducted into the Arizona Women’s Hall of Fame in 2015 (Click link for more information about these women).
Photo of Daisy Nelson Moore courtesy of Alice Moore Westbrooks.
Illustration of Marietta Cooper Bryant by Debra Jones for the Arizona Women’s Hall of Fame, 2015.
Dr. Christine Marin is Professor Emeritus at Arizona State University; the founder of the Chicano/a Research Collection at ASU. Dr. Marin was honored with awards from AZ Humanities, the National Association of Chicana and Chicano Studies, and the Sharlot Hall Award among others. She is a board member of the Tempe History Society. See full bio here.