From Whence We've Come.

Recently, I came up with a creative and cost-effective way to both decorate my living space and study for my upcoming exams. I figured that I'd print pictures of African-American social work pioneers, frame them, and hang them around my home.

This evening I decided to begin my project. Inabel Burns Lindsay was among the first of the pioneers that I collected data on. Mrs. Lindsay was born in St. Joseph, Missouri in 1900 to a family that believed in the education of their young, in spite of the historical climate that dictated racism, oppression, and inequality. From events in her childhood, one can witness the birth of her spirit of activism in response to personal and familial challenges; the fire of her life was the perfect inspiration for her development as a prominent voice and advocate for the provision of adequate and quality public welfare services to people of color. Mrs. Lindsay's contributions spanned several populations including the elderly.

In the 1940's, in spite of gender inequities, Mrs. Lindsay, became the Dean of the School of Social Work at the University I currently attend. She was the first woman to hold such a position at a co-educational school in Washington, DC. She carried this institution through to successful accreditation and she advocated for the desegregation of field placements. Her actions consistently reflected her commitment to quality service in the social work profession, and her personal investment in being a leader for burgeoning professionals. Her adamant stance on including a socio-cultural perspective when assessing the lives and challenges of human beings is reflected in the Black Perspective framework that outlines the tenets influencing the course of study in which I am currently enrolled.

Of course her pure acts of human service were not met without adversity; she was accused of being a communist and subjected to federal scrutiny because of her convictions and practices. But she was definitely not deterred from her calling. Even in her retirement, she worked, continually taking on issues that she felt stood in the way of this world being a safe place for all. An article on her described her service, stating that "she just [couldn't] quit helping people".

While my initial thought was to question why I wasn't introduced to her in foundation courses in my master's program, I then considered the proactive dimension of Mrs. Lindsay's character. She didn't wait on others to make sure she got what she needed; she created paths where there were none. As I prepare to mount her picture on my walls, I will consistently honor her legacy and contribution to my life; I will be sure, however, not to let her lessons and inspiration live inside the frame.

(In case you want to read more check out this article by some of my professors http://aff.sagepub.com/content/23/4/363.full.pdf)