Here Am I, Send Me: The Life, Career and Legacy of Mary Frances Early

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to chronicle the life and contributions of Mary Frances Early (b. 1936), the first African American to graduate from the University of Georgia in 1962. After suffering many indignities and being forgotten for more than three decades, Early became one of the University’s most celebrated graduates. Teaching music in segregated schools in Atlanta, Mary Frances Early worked tirelessly to provide her students with a high-quality music education, and she developed excellent music programs wherever she went. Throughout her long and distinguished career in the public schools, in higher education, and in service to the profession, Mary Frances Early dedicated her life to music teaching. She believed that all students deserved to have engaging and meaningful music education experiences, that music is an essential component of a well-rounded education, and that music would play a role throughout life. Primary and secondary sources include interviews, Miss Early’s personal papers, documentary film footage, and newspaper articles and clippings.