Dr. Irene "Renie" Dobbs Jackson (1908-1999), the eldest daughter, is the mother of the first African American mayor of Atlanta, Maynard Jackson Jr. (1938-2003). She was the first African American to obtain a library card from the Atlanta Public Library. She graduated as valedictorian from Spelman College (1925) and earned her master's and doctorate degrees (1956) in French from the University of Grenoble and the University of Toulouse in France, respectively. She also served as the head of the French department at Spelman and as a chair of the Modern Languages department of North Carolina Central University in Durham, North Carolina.
She married Maynard Jackson Sr., and the couple had six children: Jeanne, Alexandra, Maynard Jr., Carol, Constance, and Paul.
Willie Dobbs Blackburn (1910- ), the second born, graduated at the top of her class from Spelman College (1931) and received her master's degree from Atlanta University (1934). She moved to Jackson, Mississippi, where she served as chairman of the language division of Jackson State University. The Willie Dobbs Blackburn Language Arts Building on Jackson State University's campus is named in her honor.
She married Benjamin Blackburn, and the couple had two children: Juliette and Benjamin Blackburn.
Millicent Dobbs Jordan (1911-1991), the middle daughter, was a college professor especially interested in Africa, African American history, and African art. During her lifetime, she made frequent trips to the continent of Africa. She received her bachelor's degree from Spelman College (1933) and her master's degree in speech and drama from Columbia University (1938). She returned to Spelman to teach English and African American literature. She also taught at Georgia State, Arkansas State, and Morris Brown Colleges.
She married dentist Dr. Robert H. Jordan and had three children: Robert, and twin boys James and Dobbs.
Josephine Dobbs Clement (1918-1998), the forth born, was a community advocate and civil rights leader focused on the political and social justice movements of Durham, North Carolina. She graduated from Spelman in 1937 College and received her master's degree from Columbia University the following year. After moving to Durham in the late 1940s, Clement was actively involved in desegregating the YWCA and the League of Women's Voters. She was appointed to the Durham City-County Charter Commission and also chaired the city's board of education. She was also a member of the city-county library board in Durham, a director of Durham's Better Health Foundation, and a volunteer worker at the Durham Children's House. The Josephine Dobbs Clement Early College High School in Durham was named in her honor.
She married North Carolina Mutual Life Insurance Company executive William A. Clement, and the couple had five children: William Jr., Wesley, Arthur, Kathleen, and Jody.
Mattiwilda "Geekie" Dobbs Janzon (1925- ), the fifth born, is an internationally-known concert performer and one of the first African Americans to sing at the Metropolitan Opera Company in New York. She received her bachelor's degree in music and Spanish from Spelman College (1946), where she graduated first in her class. She moved to New York and pursued vocal lessons with German soprano Lottie Leonard while studying Spanish at Columbia University, where she ultimately earned her master's degree (1948). She vowed never to sing to a segregated audience and performed many major festivals and opera houses throughout Europe and the United States. Upon retiring from the stage in 1974, she taught at the University of Texas, Spelman, and Howard University in Washington, D.C.
Her first husband, playwright and journalist Luis Rodriguez, died shortly after their marriage. She later married Swedish journalist Bengt Janzon.
Dr. June Dobbs Butts (1928- ), the youngest daughter, is one of the first African American sexologists. She obtained her bachelor's degree in sociology from Spelman College (1948) and her master's degree in counseling (1950) and doctorate in family life education from Columbia University. She taught in the psychology department at Fisk University, Tennessee State University, and Meharry Medical College. She also worked for the Masters and Johnson Institute, a clinical and research foundation which studied human sexuality. She has authored many books and articles on sex, teenage pregnancy, and AIDS.
She married and later divorced psychiatrist Dr. Hugh Butts. The couple had three children: Lucia, Florence and Eric.
(credit: Amistad Research Center)
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