Virginia Jackson Kiah interview

Description

Virginia Jackson Kiah (1911-2001) was the daughter of Lillie Mae Carroll Jackson and the sister of Juanita Jackson Mitchell, as well as an artist and activist in her own right. She served as a membership and then promotional secretary for the Baltimore, Maryland, branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). She also painted portraits of famous Black leaders such as Mary McLeod Bethune. In this oral history interview, Kiah discusses the internal workings of the Baltimore branch of the NAACP and how local individuals and church leaders impacted the organization’s efforts. Kiah also explores her relationship with her mother, as both a motivational force and an obstacle, particularly when it came to her marriage to Dr. Calvin Kiah.