Cora Tucker

1
Cora Tucker

• Zach Lancaster
• Amy Marshall
• Ben Eilerman

2
Background

• Born in 1941- Halifax County- South Boston
• Father died when she was three.
• Mother raised the children
• The whole family worked on white mens farms

3
Background-Continued

• Cora went to a segregated High School in Halifax
  county Mass.
• At 17 dropped out to get married
• Had six children
• Adopted a seventh child
• Was a stay at home mother and hated it.
• Finally got a job as a seamstress.

4
Background- Continued

• Worked at the factory for seven years
• She saved money to buy land and build her own
  house

5
What did she do?

• 1975 Cora founded Citizens for a Better America
• First project was a survey on spending and
  employment patterns in Black communities.
• The survey showed that there were problems with
  hiring and with the promotions of African
  Americans

6
What did she do?

• She also worked to build a reputation in
  Washington D.C. with welfare issues.

7
Barriers

• No support from husband or children.
• Her mother was the only one who supported her
  work.
• The trials of being an African American woman at
  the time.