Idella Jones Childs

{{Infobox person

| name = Idella Jones Childs

| image = Photo of Idella Jones Childs.jpg

| alt =

| caption =

| birth_name = Idella Jones

| birth_date = {{birth date|1903|6|21|mf=y}}

| birth_place = Perry County, Alabama

| death_date = {{death date and age|1998|8|8|1903|6|21|mf=y}}

| death_place =

| nationality = American

| alma_mater =Alabama State University

| other_names =

| occupation = Educator, Social Activist

| years_active =

| known_for =

| notable_works =

| spouse = Norman Childs

}}

Idella Jones Childs (June 21, 1903 – August 8, 1998) was an American educator, historian and civil rights activist. Childs worked as a teacher for 35 years in Perry County in Alabama. During the civil rights movement, her home was a meeting place for activists. She was the mother of Jean Childs Young, who later married Andrew Young who went on to become mayor of Atlanta. Childs worked as historian, helping to put two places in Alabama on the National Register of Historic Places. She also became the first black woman to sit on the city council in Marion. Childs was inducted into the Alabama Women's Hall of Fame in 2002. An award named after Childs is given out from the Alabama Historical Commission for the recognition of those who have contributed to the preservation of historic African American places.

Biography

Childs was born on June 21, 1903, in Perry County in Alabama, and would live her entire life there.{{Cite web|url=http://www.awhf.org/childs.html|title=Idella Jones Childs (1903 - 1998)|website=Alabama Women's Hall of Fame|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070406040030/http://www.awhf.org/childs.html|archive-date=6 April 2007|access-date=2019-03-11}} Childs attended Lincoln Normal School and earned her teacher's certificate there.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/23658439/|title=Childs, Idella Jones, the daughter of|date=11 August 1998|work=The Montgomery Advertiser|access-date=10 March 2019|via=Newspapers.com}} She studied elementary education at Alabama State University. She married Norman Childs and together they had five children.{{Sfn|Young|1996|p=66}} She earned her degree long after her first child was born.{{Sfn|Young|1996|p=66}} Childs' daughter, Jean Childs Young, was born on July 1, 1933.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/29380275/|title='Graced City' As Advocate for Children, Human Rights|last=Bennett|first=Tom|date=17 September 1884|work=The Atlanta Constitution|access-date=10 March 2019|via=Newspapers.com}} Childs taught in segregated schools for over 35 years, teaching biology, algebra, history and social studies.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UAD8kSSfwxAC&pg=PA126|title=Perry County|last=Drake|first=Eleanor C.|publisher=Arcadia Publishing|year=2010|isbn=9780738586625|location=Charleston, South Carolina|pages=126|language=en}}

During the Civil Rights Movement, Childs' home became a meeting place for those involved in civil rights in Marion.{{Sfn|Young|1996|p=352}} In 1979, she was named an honorary member of the National Commission on the International Year of the Child by Jimmy Carter.{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/ERIC_ED184725|title=Report to the President: United States National Commission on the International Year of the Child.|date=March 1980|publisher=U.S. Government|pages=223|language=en}} She founded and became the first chair of the Perry County Arts and Humanities Council in 1982. In May 1985, she was appointed to fill a council seat in Marion.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/29382447/|title=Ex-Teacher, 85, Turns Life's Lesson to Her Advantage|last=Nossiter|first=Adam|date=13 October 1988|work=The Atlanta Constitution|access-date=10 March 2019|via=Newspapers.com}} Childs was the first black woman to serve on the council. She was re-elected to the seat in 1988. Also in 1988, she was appointed to the board of the Alabama Historical Commission.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/29383249/|title=Governor Makes Board, Commission Appointments|date=12 July 1988|work=The Montgomery Advertiser|access-date=10 March 2019|via=Newspapers.com}} She helped add the First Congregational Church Building and the Mary Elizabeth Phillips Thompson Auditorium of the Lincoln Normal School to the National Register of Historic Places. Childs earned NASA's Unsung Heroes Award in 1993.

Childs died on August 8, 1998.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/29383010/|title=Young, King Honor Childs at Services|last=Benn|first=Alvin|date=13 August 1998|work=The Montgomery Advertiser|access-date=10 March 2019|via=Newspapers.com}} Hundreds attended a memorial service held in her honor at Lincoln Normal School.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/29379810/|title=Childs Left Indelible Mark|last=Benn|first=Al|date=16 August 1998|work=The Montgomery Advertiser|access-date=10 March 2019|page=3B|via=Newspapers.com}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/29379978/|title=Childs|date=16 August 1998|work=The Montgomery Advertiser|access-date=10 March 2019|page=4B|via=Newspapers.com}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/29379978/|title=Services Set for Idella Childs|date=12 August 1998|work=The Montgomery Advertiser|access-date=10 March 2019|via=Newspapers.com}} Childs was buried in the Marion Cemetery on Lafayette Street.{{Cite web|url=http://www.alabamasfrontporches.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Hospitality-Sheet-Perry-County.pdf|title=Landmarks * Places to Visit * Things to Do|website=Perry County, Alabama|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190311030912/http://www.alabamasfrontporches.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Hospitality-Sheet-Perry-County.pdf|archive-date=11 March 2019|access-date=10 March 2019}}

In 2002, she was inducted into the Alabama Women's Hall of Fame.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/18423907/the_montgomery_advertiser_montgomery/|title=Inductee's Activism Praised|last=Benn|first=Alvin|date=8 March 2002|work=The Montgomery Advertiser|access-date=10 March 2019|page=3B|via=Newspapers.com}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/18423959/the_montgomery_advertiser_montgomery/|title=Activism: Katz Supported Equal Rights Amendment|date=8 March 2002|work=The Montgomery Advertiser|access-date=10 March 2019|page=6B|via=Newspapers.com}} Her son-in-law, Andrew Young, was a keynote speaker. The Alabama Historical Commission's Black Heritage Council gives out an award in her name.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/29380393/|title=Alabama Woman Tracks Heritage to Slavery, Shares Her Knowledge|date=4 January 2008|work=Enterprise-Journal|access-date=10 March 2019|page=A003|via=Newspapers.com}} The award, known as the Idella Childs Distinguished Service Award, "recognizes people who have contributed to the preservation of African American historic places."{{Cite news|url=https://m.shelbycountyreporter.com/2014/06/18/vincent-man-wins-idella-childs-award/|title=Vincent man wins Idella Childs Award|date=2014-06-18|work=Shelby County Reporter|access-date=2019-03-11|language=en-US}}

References

= Citations =

= Sources =

{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/easyburdencivi00youn/page/66?q=%22idella+jones+childs%22?q=%22idella+jones+childs%22|title=An Easy Burden: The Civil Rights Movement and the Transformation of America|last=Young|first=Andrew|publisher=Harper Collins|year=1996|isbn=0060173629|location=New York|url-access=registration }}