Accomplishments:
- Responsible for the integration of Girard College
Final word: Bernard Smiley, chairman of the Board of Directors of City Trusts that oversees Girard College: “My father was there when Dr. King came to the wall. If there were one leader of the plaintiffs, it would be Marie Hicks. Her tiny stature — she was less than 5 feet tall — and her fiery, dynamic personality made her all the more effective as the spokesperson for those trying to gain entrance into Girard College.”
More on Hicks: The Philadelphia Inquirer, “Marie Hicks, 83, the Rosa Parks of Girard College”
Reporting by Aly Kerrigan and Ethan Young.