Ella Josephine Baker was born on December 13, 1903 to Georgiana and Blake Baker in Norfolk, Virginia.
At a
n early age Ella heard stories about slavery from her grandmother was enslaved. It stuck with her as she went on and challenge policies within Shaw University in North Caroline that seemed unfair.
Some time in 1940 she began working with the NAACP as a secretary. As she moved through the ranks she set her focus on recruiting young people and she thought more women being apart of the NAACP great importance.
Ella went on to be apart of various organization in which she help promote for equal rights. She worked alongside many of the well-known civil rights leaders. She was a behind the scene kind of woman, but her behind the scene work make a great impact on the civil right movement. Ella was called “One the most important African-American leaders of the 21st century and prehaps the most influential woman in the civil rights movement.”
Ella J. Baker died on December 13, 1986, and on that same day she turned 83.
