Harriett J. Curley (1925-2001) Harriett Curley graduated from East High School and Drake University, both located in Des Moines. In 1946, she was hired to teach kindergarten at Perkins Elementary, which is part of the Des Moines Public School district. Curley did not receive a warm welcome as the first Black woman to teach in the district. Several parents and community members went to school board meetings to protest her hiring. But as Superintendent N.D. McCombs noted about Curley: “She topped the list of applicants by a wide margin. The board has had a policy, in writing, for years that all boys and girls get the best teachers for the money we can pay. And they are not hired on a basis of color, creed, or nationality.” After Curley was hired, other Black women were hired as teachers. Her husband, E. Nevin Bruce, was also hired in Des Moines as the first Black man to teach full time. Think Like Harriett J. Curley • Harriett Curley broke the color barrier as a teacher within Des Moines Public Schools. What was her impact on the district? • • Why would a school district hire teachers based on their skills and not based on “color, creed or nationality?” After her retirement, Curley stated “I had no misgivings when I took the job … I can honestly say that I have never had one unpleasant moment at Perkins.” What does this say about the Perkins Elementary School community after their initial protest? Community Spotlight
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