Betty Reynolds Cobb
Encyclopedia
Betty Reynolds Cobb was an attorney, author, and activist.
She was one of the first women accepted to the bar
, and one of the first female lawyers in Georgia
. She was also an early member of the League of Women Voters
.
In 1916, her book "Little Boy Black" was published.
. She was raised by her parents in Carrollton, Georgia
and grew up with her brothers and cousins. Betty was married and widowed at a very early age to local merchant, Hiram Felix Cobb. Felix died shortly after the birth of their daughter, Elizabeth Reynolds Cobb. Companionless, Betty was obligated to care for her young daughter without a father figure. Following Elizabeth's high school commencement
exercises, Betty re-located in Atlanta, Georgia
. Elizabeth received a higher education at Agnes Scott College
.
Elizabeth later married James E. Boyd
, former President of West Georgia College. During Boyd's reign, a women's dormitory was built in honor of Betty and her accomplishments.
, Active Voters, and the Fourth District A&M School board of trustees. Every year, outstanding students of the University of West Georgia
are awarded the Betty Reynolds Cobb scholarship
. Writing was a component of Betty's career and she is most notable for her collection of short stories in "Little Boy Black". Cobb also served as a secretary
to Sidney Holderness. While in office, Betty confidentially studied law and prepared to take the bar exam. Betty’s newfound knowledge
and interest in law led her to believe that she was well-prepared to take the Georgia State Bar Exam. After passing the bar exam, Cobb practiced law for 25 years.
to allow women to play a role in law. Georgia waited many years after women were first permitted to be attorneys to grant them their right to sit for the bar exam. Under certain conditions of the state
law, women were not qualified as candidates for the bar exam. Betty Reynolds Cobb is credited for her leading role in feminism
. She sought for women to have the right to hold higher positions in society
. Betty addressed many issues ranging from the betterment of women in the general public to the entrance of women in areas of specialization. Cobb believed that women should have been allowed to pursue duties other than those belonging to the typical homemaker
. She also believed that women should have been granted the opportunity to be successful in the community
if they displayed the same qualities and abilities as men.
, 1926, by The J.W. Burke Company Publishers. The book was illustrated by John E. Cramer, Jr.
The life and southern culture of Carrollton, Georgia
inspired her to write the short story having a Negro
, African American boy as the main character
. "Little Boy Black" consists of nine short stories: "Little Boy Black", "Ol' Master", "Love and Politics", "Aunt Savannah's White Folks", "Uncle Lige Pleads His Own Case", "The Owl Foretells a Parting", "The Coward", "Miss Julie's Ring", and "Counsel for Defense".
, May 27, 1956. Her eulogy
was delivered in Atlanta and her burial proceeded in Carrollton, Georgia
.
Georgia (U.S. state) lawyers
Writers from Georgia (U.S. state)
She was one of the first women accepted to the bar
Bar association
A bar association is a professional body of lawyers. Some bar associations are responsible for the regulation of the legal profession in their jurisdiction; others are professional organizations dedicated to serving their members; in many cases, they are both...
, and one of the first female lawyers in Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
. She was also an early member of the League of Women Voters
League of Women Voters
The League of Women Voters is an American political organization founded in 1920 by Carrie Chapman Catt during the last meeting of the National American Woman Suffrage Association approximately six months before the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution gave women the right to vote...
.
In 1916, her book "Little Boy Black" was published.
Early life/family
Betty Reynolds Cobb was born on October 23, 1884 in a mostly white neighborhood, Cedartown, GeorgiaCedartown, Georgia
Cedartown is a city in Polk County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 9,750. The city is the county seat of Polk County...
. She was raised by her parents in Carrollton, Georgia
Carrollton, Georgia
Carrollton is a city in West Georgia, United States, in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 24,388...
and grew up with her brothers and cousins. Betty was married and widowed at a very early age to local merchant, Hiram Felix Cobb. Felix died shortly after the birth of their daughter, Elizabeth Reynolds Cobb. Companionless, Betty was obligated to care for her young daughter without a father figure. Following Elizabeth's high school commencement
Graduation
Graduation is the action of receiving or conferring an academic degree or the ceremony that is sometimes associated, where students become Graduates. Before the graduation, candidates are referred to as Graduands. The date of graduation is often called degree day. The graduation itself is also...
exercises, Betty re-located in Atlanta, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
. Elizabeth received a higher education at Agnes Scott College
Agnes Scott College
Agnes Scott College is a private undergraduate college in the United States. Agnes Scott's campus lies in downtown Decatur, Georgia, nestled inside the perimeter of the bustling metro-Atlanta area....
.
Elizabeth later married James E. Boyd
James E. Boyd (scientist)
James Emory "Jim" Boyd was an American physicist, mathematician, and academic administrator. He was director of the Georgia Tech Research Institute from 1957 to 1961, president of West Georgia College from 1961 to 1971, and acting president of the Georgia Institute of Technology from 1971 to...
, former President of West Georgia College. During Boyd's reign, a women's dormitory was built in honor of Betty and her accomplishments.
Schooling/career
Betty Reynolds Cobb received a high school diploma but never completed the formal, official training to become a lawyer. Before passing the bar exam, she pursued a career in teaching and earned a living as Associate Editor of the newspaper, Carroll Free Press. Betty Reynolds Cobb was the former President and one of the founders of the Georgia Association of Women Voters. Betty was affiliated with the League of Women VotersLeague of Women Voters
The League of Women Voters is an American political organization founded in 1920 by Carrie Chapman Catt during the last meeting of the National American Woman Suffrage Association approximately six months before the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution gave women the right to vote...
, Active Voters, and the Fourth District A&M School board of trustees. Every year, outstanding students of the University of West Georgia
University of West Georgia
The University of West Georgia is a comprehensive doctoral-granting university in Carrollton, Georgia, approximately 45 miles west of Atlanta, Georgia. The University is built on 645 acres including a recent land gift of 246 acres from the city of Carrollton in 2003...
are awarded the Betty Reynolds Cobb scholarship
Scholarship
A scholarship is an award of financial aid for a student to further education. Scholarships are awarded on various criteria usually reflecting the values and purposes of the donor or founder of the award.-Types:...
. Writing was a component of Betty's career and she is most notable for her collection of short stories in "Little Boy Black". Cobb also served as a secretary
Secretary
A secretary, or administrative assistant, is a person whose work consists of supporting management, including executives, using a variety of project management, communication & organizational skills. These functions may be entirely carried out to assist one other employee or may be for the benefit...
to Sidney Holderness. While in office, Betty confidentially studied law and prepared to take the bar exam. Betty’s newfound knowledge
Knowledge
Knowledge is a familiarity with someone or something unknown, which can include information, facts, descriptions, or skills acquired through experience or education. It can refer to the theoretical or practical understanding of a subject...
and interest in law led her to believe that she was well-prepared to take the Georgia State Bar Exam. After passing the bar exam, Cobb practiced law for 25 years.
Activism
Georgia was among the last of the southern states in the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
to allow women to play a role in law. Georgia waited many years after women were first permitted to be attorneys to grant them their right to sit for the bar exam. Under certain conditions of the state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
law, women were not qualified as candidates for the bar exam. Betty Reynolds Cobb is credited for her leading role in feminism
Feminism
Feminism is a collection of movements aimed at defining, establishing, and defending equal political, economic, and social rights and equal opportunities for women. Its concepts overlap with those of women's rights...
. She sought for women to have the right to hold higher positions in society
Society
A society, or a human society, is a group of people related to each other through persistent relations, or a large social grouping sharing the same geographical or virtual territory, subject to the same political authority and dominant cultural expectations...
. Betty addressed many issues ranging from the betterment of women in the general public to the entrance of women in areas of specialization. Cobb believed that women should have been allowed to pursue duties other than those belonging to the typical homemaker
Homemaker
Homemaking is a mainly American term for the management of a home, otherwise known as housework, housekeeping or household management...
. She also believed that women should have been granted the opportunity to be successful in the community
Community
The term community has two distinct meanings:*a group of interacting people, possibly living in close proximity, and often refers to a group that shares some common values, and is attributed with social cohesion within a shared geographical location, generally in social units larger than a household...
if they displayed the same qualities and abilities as men.
"Little Boy Black"
Betty Reynolds Cobb was actively engaged in writing and is most notable for her short story, "Little Boy Black". "Little Boy Black" was published in Macon, GeorgiaMacon, Georgia
Macon is a city located in central Georgia, US. Founded at the fall line of the Ocmulgee River, it is part of the Macon metropolitan area, and the county seat of Bibb County. A small portion of the city extends into Jones County. Macon is the biggest city in central Georgia...
, 1926, by The J.W. Burke Company Publishers. The book was illustrated by John E. Cramer, Jr.
The life and southern culture of Carrollton, Georgia
Carrollton, Georgia
Carrollton is a city in West Georgia, United States, in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 24,388...
inspired her to write the short story having a Negro
Negro
The word Negro is used in the English-speaking world to refer to a person of black ancestry or appearance, whether of African descent or not...
, African American boy as the main character
Character (arts)
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
. "Little Boy Black" consists of nine short stories: "Little Boy Black", "Ol' Master", "Love and Politics", "Aunt Savannah's White Folks", "Uncle Lige Pleads His Own Case", "The Owl Foretells a Parting", "The Coward", "Miss Julie's Ring", and "Counsel for Defense".
Death
Betty Reynolds Cobb died in Atlanta, GeorgiaGeorgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, May 27, 1956. Her eulogy
Eulogy
A eulogy is a speech or writing in praise of a person or thing, especially one recently deceased or retired. Eulogies may be given as part of funeral services. However, some denominations either discourage or do not permit eulogies at services to maintain respect for traditions...
was delivered in Atlanta and her burial proceeded in Carrollton, Georgia
Carrollton, Georgia
Carrollton is a city in West Georgia, United States, in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 24,388...
.
External links
- Betty Reynolds Cobb: Pioneer Lady Lawyer of Georgia
- The History of Cobb Hall information on building at West Georgia College
Georgia (U.S. state) lawyers
Writers from Georgia (U.S. state)
- Cedartown, Georgia