Diary Entry From Mary Frances Early

Mary Frances Early grew up with a passion for music and learning.  Inspired by her father, a singer, and her mother, a public school teacher she decided to pursue a career in music education.  Growing up, Early comments how foriegn the concept of racial discrimination was to her. She states “It wasn't in our vocabulary to think that people were good or bad because of their skin color, so I was just sort of taken aback that it became a big issue later in my life” (Griffin).  Upon arriving at the University of Georgia during the summer of 1961, she reveals her raw emotions about the discrimination she experienced in her time at UGA in her personal diaries.

This exhibit showcases her diary entry from the June 24, 1961.  In this entry she records her experience when she first arrived to the University of Georgia to register for classes.  While she mentions two extremely nice people she first met, she also shares a story of prejudice. When her and her friends were conversing on the steps, a white woman and her son were coming up the steps and Early comments “she turned beet red and sidled past- so she wouldn’t have to touch the brown dye, I suppose!” Mary Frances Early’s diary entries expose her raw emotions of how she remembered every seemingly small act of difference towards her.  When she went to the dorms to get her housing assignment, there was no card made for her and she states “I couldn’t help wondering if someone had doubted I was actually coming.” Still, Early appeared undaunted at how she was treated, becoming a fearless pioneer of perseverance. She reveals her true emotions to her treatment, yet she still persevered through it all, paving the way for equality at the University of Georgia.

Griffin, Joy. "Mary Frances Early (b. 1936)." New Georgia Encyclopedia. 20 January 2017. Web. 05 November 2018.