Breaking Barrier

Patricia Simons

November  12, 2013

13511 Monica st

Detroit, MI 48238

Breaking Barrier

    October 3, 1915, in Wadesboro, North Carolina, is the day the world’s greatest hero was born. My Aunt Harriette Simon Wright is my hero. My aunt grew up in an era when African Americans were not even considered humans, let alone citizens.   Through all the hardships, she was the first in her family to go to college. She went to Bluefield State College  to study social work and furthered her education at Indiana University and West Virginia University.  The reason why my aunt Harriette is one of the greatest  heroes to me and the world is that she was the first female African American professor at Concord University in Athens, West Virginia, where she taught social work

My Aunt Harriette lived a long life of accomplishments and broke a color barrier in the African American community.   She belonged to many organizations; One of them was one the organization she belong to was the  Appalachian Area Agency on Aging one of four Area Agencies on Aging in West Virginia funded by the West Virginia Bureau of Senior Services to administer federal and state funds for senior programs. The AAAA funds aging programs for seniors in thirteen counties in Southeastern West Virginia., of which she was one of the founders.   She also belonged to the  NAACP, Les Modernes, and the  AARP.  Throughout her life she was given numerous awards, plaques for accomplishments, and she received the National Social Worker's Award that was presented by the governor of the state of West Virginia.  

       On October 6, 2007, Harriette Simon Wright  passed away  with a lifetime of cherished memories  and great accomplishments.  My Aunt Harriette Simon Wright is my greatest hero because she done what most African Americans couldn't do during that time, and that was  broke the color barrier.