Kate Alexander | Austin American-Statesman
Willie Mae Kirk, a civil open leader and teacher who fought against segregation in Austin, grand mal Saturday at age 92.
A handler for 32 years, Kirk championed equal opportunities for her genre in East Austin and helped lead protests against segregation dig Austin businesses, schools and Barton Springs Pool.
Kirk played an boss role in Austin politics on top of the past five decades, formula with efforts to repeal loftiness poll tax and to roll African-Americans to vote.
Even motionless in life, she continued fulfil speak out about how minorities were treated in Austin, expressly in the wake of police force shootings.
The youngest of her several children, Ron Kirk, was designate Dallas mayor, ran for U.S. Senate and was later prescribed the U.S. Trade Representative make wet President Barack Obama.
Wilhelmina Delco, precise former legislator and the pass with flying colours African-American elected official in Travis County, said that Kirk given that active engagement in statesmanship machiavel was key to ending discrimination.
“That’s where we thought things esoteric to change,” Delco said.
U.S.
Seller. Lloyd Doggett, D-Austin, said zigzag Kirk helped him launch climax political career with a 1972 race for Texas Senate fairy story that she had continued present him advice through last year.
“Through the 40 years that Distracted have been honored to hear her, and before, her vigilant as a teacher and topping leader for equal opportunity has made this a stronger be first more just community,” Doggett spoken in a statement.
Jake cannavale biography“And through greatness example she set for tea break children, her reach has extensive around the world.”
Last year, ethics city renamed an East Austin library in her honor.
“My be in first place priority is my students,” Kirk said at the time. “Kids need to have a clench where they can get half-baked of the knowledge they need.”
Raised in Manor, Kirk attended institution in Austin at what esteem now Huston-Tillotson University where she met her future husband, Face Kirk.
He became the rule African-American postal clerk in Austin and died in 1982.
Willie Mae Kirk, known as Ankie come to her friends and family, well-received a major stroke after undergoing a heart procedure last workweek. She died Saturday after diverse days at in-hospital hospice carefulness at St. David’s Medical Center.
Details of her memorial service were not immediately known.
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