Marie Harrison

Walter Francis White was born on July 1, 1893, in Atlanta, Georgia, to George and Madeline White. His father attended Atlanta University, now recognized as a historically black college, and was employed as a postal worker. His mother, a graduate of the same institution, worked as a teacher. White's family belonged to the First Congregational Church, an influential congregation founded after the Civil War by freedmen and associated with the American Missionary Association.

White's lineage included both African and European ancestry, with a significant proportion of his ancestors being white. He himself had fair skin and light features, often passing as white due to his appearance, a strategy he employed for safety during his activities as a civil rights investigator. His maternal lineage traces back to Dilsia, an enslaved woman and concubine of William Henry Harrison, the future U.S. president, who was born into slavery in Georgia. Harrison's brief presidency in 1840 lasted only 31 days, and his relationship to White's maternal family was complex and rooted in the history of slavery and racial mixing.

He completed his education at Atlanta University, graduating from high school in 1912 and the college in 1916. During his years at Atlanta University, he was exposed to influential ideas from notable African-American scholars, including W. E. B. Du Bois, who previously taught some of White's older siblings.

In 1916, White began working for the Standard Life Insurance Company in Atlanta, an enterprise established by African Americans. That same year, he became involved in organizing a chapter of the NAACP, which had been founded in 1909. His work focused on advocating for improved educational opportunities for Black children within segregated schools and challenging disenfranchisement laws in Georgia.

At the age of 25, White moved to New York City at the invitation of James Weldon Johnson to work at the NAACP's national headquarters. He initially served as assistant secretary and later as an undercover investigator of lynchings and race riots in the South, utilizing his light complexion and investigative skills to gather information and navigate dangerous environments.

White's leadership within the NAACP expanded over the years. He became acting head in 1929 and officially assumed the position of executive secretary in 1931, serving until his death in 1955. During his tenure, he directed extensive legal efforts against segregation and disenfranchisement, establishing the NAACP's Legal Defense Fund, which contributed to landmark legal victories including the 1954 Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of Education, declaring that segregated public schools were inherently unequal.

He was also involved in advocacy at the federal level, collaborating with President Harry S. Truman on the desegregation of the armed forces and providing drafts for related executive orders. White’s organizational efforts led to a significant increase in NAACP membership, which grew to nearly 500,000.

White married Gladys Powell in 1922, and they had two children: Jane White, who became an actress, and Walter Carl White. The marriage ended in divorce in 1949. He subsequently married Poppy Cannon, a white South African magazine editor, which caused controversy within the African-American community and among his colleagues.

White's family background and personal history reflect complex racial and social dynamics, including his own attempts to navigate race, identity, and activism. He died on March 21, 1955.