Dorothy Counts

Dorothy "Dot" Counts-Scoggins (born March 25, 1942) is an American civil rights pioneer, and one of the first black students admitted to the Harry Harding High School.

[1] After four days of harassment that threatened her safety, her parents withdrew her from the school, but the images of Dorothy being verbally assaulted by her white classmates were seen around the world.

[1] Counts-Scoggins was born in Charlotte, North Carolina, and grew up near Johnson C. Smith University where both her parents worked.

In 1956, forty Black students from North Carolina applied for transfers to a white school after the passing of the Pearsall Plan.

Photographer Douglas Martin won the 1957 World Press Photo of the Year with an image of Counts being mocked by a crowd on her first day of school.

[1] As she proceeded to go outside and met her oldest brother for lunch, she saw a crowd surrounding the family car, and the back windows were shattered.

[1] Counts-Scoggins told her family what had occurred and her father called the superintendent and the police department to share with them what had happened.

[1] The superintendent told the family he was not aware of what was happening at Harry Harding High School, and the police chief said that they could not guarantee Counts-Scoggins' protection.

He said in a statement: "It is with compassion for our native land and love for our daughter Dorothy that we withdraw her as a student at Harding High School.

She was sent to live with her aunt and uncle in Yeadon, Pennsylvania, to finish her sophomore year, where she attended an integrated public school.

[1] Counts-Scoggins would graduate from Allen School and return to Charlotte to go to Johnson C. Smith University, where she earned her degree in Psychology in 1964.

They met up for lunch where Cooper asked her to forgive him and she responded by saying, "I forgave you a long time ago, this is opportunity to do something for our children and grandchildren.