Derricotte Art Contest

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.