Mary Elizabeth Anderson

Mary E. Anderson, the fifth of eight children, was born in Buckingham County, Virginia from the union of James Norman and Mary Webber-Anderson. Mary was named after her Mother, Mary, and as her name-sake, gave the Eulogy at her Mother's funeral in March 2009.

Education and the pursuit of excellence were always important to Mary. She graduated first in her class academically (Valedictorian) from both Junior and Senior High of the Buckingham Training School, and was voted by her classmates as "The Person Most Likely To Succeed".

She went on to receive a Bachelor of Science from Virginia Union University in Business Education, and then on to teach Business Math and Commerce at Union High School in Bowling Green, Virginia. She established the school's first Commerce Club, which became a standard curricular activity.

During a summer break when school was out, Mary took a job in Washington, DC with the Federal Government, and stayed there. Even though she did not break a contract with the school system, she was criticized by the Principal and other community personnel who accused her of "running away from the community where she was needed most."

Mary furthered her education while working in Washington by attending evening classes at the Graduate School of American University, together with other Federal Graduate Programs.

During a short tenure in Chicago, she did more graduate study at Chicago College of Commerce, and the Loyola University of Chicago. One of the most rewarding accomplishments of Mary's career was during the very crucial time of school desegregation across the Nation during the sixties. Mary was instrumental in helping her hometown of Buckingham County desegregate their schools peacefully. The neighboring schools in Farmville, Virginia (only 20 miles from Buckingham) were going through riots because their school opposed the Federal ruling to desegregate public schools.

Farmville closed ALL of its then-called "Negro" schools. The riots brought about fires and a great deal of hostility. Some people were killed and a host of others were injured. People lost their jobs, and the "Negro'' children had NO schools to go to.

After hearing about the riots and the many problems in Farmville, Mary took action (then working for the Department of Education in Washington). She took it upon herself to personally contact Federal representatives of high authority and was able to get two Federal employees to go down to Buckingham and talk to the school Superintendent, school board members and some negro faculty and staff.

It is without doubt and firmly believed that as a result of those meetings and the help from those two Federal men, the Buckingham County schools were desegrated peacefully, calmly, and successfully.

Another highlight of Mary’s career came on September 24, 1982, the US flag was flown over The Capitol to honor her for ONE DAY. This flag honor was given to her by then Congresswoman Marjorie S. Holt, and was bestowed upon Mary for writing the draft legislation for Committee Hearings which resulted in the passage of the Educational Equity Act for women.

Mary was known to say that being an African American, such legislation was easy to write because she understood that women merely wanted the same type of respect, privileges, and opportunities African Americans wanted.

Mary is the author of the published EQUALITY IN EDUCATION, and co-author of A HISTORY OF THE US OFFICE OF EDUCATION AND FIELD SERVICES.

She is recognized in the 1977-78 Who’s Who Among Black Americans, and the 1982 Edition of The World’s Who Is Who of Women. She is also included in the first edition of Two Thousand Notable Americans.

Mary also owned and operated her own store for 14 years - a Bridal Boutique, named "Mary's Boutique". She sold the Boutique after two robberies. The second robbery of which was at gunpoint to her face.

Mary was a very caring and compassionate person and would make it a point to treat people right and justly. She was an affiliate of the Congressional Black Caucus, a lifetime member of the NAACP, and a member or associate of other organizations (too many to name here).

She is survived by her loving siblings Bernice Brown (Baltimore, Maryland,) Annie Bell Hollman (Arvonia, Virginia) her brother John Anderson, and sister-in-law Lina Nunez Anderson (Charlottesville, Virginia) sister Hallie Marie Roane (Silver Spring, Maryland) God-children Marc Roane and Cheryl Young and a host of nieces and nephews.

All of those she loved and touched deeply. Please join us in celebrating her life on Wednesday, May 29, 2024 at Hines- Rinaldi Funeral Home at 11:00 am.