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Who was
Juliette Derricotte?

Juliette Derricotte (1897-1931) was a gifted speaker, educator, and peacemaker whose faith and warmth inspired many. Born in Athens, Georgia, she attended Talladega College, studied at Columbia University, became a national leader in the Young Women's Christian Association, and later served as Dean of Women at Fisk University, where she galvanized leadership among young Black women. Derricotte approached civil rights through peacemaking, promoting interracial fellowship and honest dialogue, believing that understanding across races could transform society; she wrote, “When I share the fellowship of many races without regard to color or creed I find an unconquerable peace of soul.” After a car accident near Dalton, Georgia in November 1931, segregation kept her from the local hospital, and she died the next day in Chattanooga. Her tragic death drew nationwide attention and led to the expansion of hospital wards for Black Americans and eventually desegregated hospitals.

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“When I share the fellowship of many races without regard to color or creed I find an unconquerable peace of soul.

Juliette Derricotte

Learn more about Juliette

Learn more about Juliette Derricotte by exploring the resources below, which include articles and related materials from a range of authors and perspectives. Each piece offers a different view of her life, work, and commitment to interracial understanding and justice. Together, they deepen understanding of her legacy and the circumstances surrounding her death in 1931 near Dalton, Georgia.

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The Death of Juliette Derricotte:

How a 1931 car accident in my hometown spotlights the overlooked injustice of Jim Crow-era healthcare

By Sam Rauschenberg

This resource features a short article and companion podcast by local historian Sam Rauschenberg telling the story of Juliette Derricotte. It explores her life, her impact on others, and the tragic role segregation played in her death in 1931 near Dalton, Georgia.

Juliette Derricotte (1897-1931)

By Linda T. Wynn

Linda T. Wynn is an adjunct instructor at Lipscomb University and co-founder of the Nashville Conference on African American History and Culture. This article, published in the 2016 conference proceedings, provides a scholarly overview of Derricotte’s life, leadership, and legacy within the YWCA and African American educational and activist communities. It also examines her tragic death in 1931 and the broader systemic injustices of segregation that shaped the circumstances surrounding it, highlighting her enduring significance in the struggle for racial justice.

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