People who have lived in Logan County for many years should be well aware of the barrier-breaking, precedent-setting success of Alice Allison Dunnigan, the late Logan County native who has been honored locally, statewide and nationally for her journalistic excellence despite facing two huge roadblocks, being both female and African-American.
Her accomplishments an an adult are well-documented: 1) first black woman to be issued a Capitol press pass; 2) first black member of the Women’s National Press Club; 3) chief of the Washington Bureau of the Associated Negro Press for 14 years; 4) worked for four presidents, Harry Truman, Dwight Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson; 5) served as Kennedy’s educational consultant for the Equal Opportunity Commission: 6) awarded an honorary doctorate from Colorado State College; and 7) over 50 awards in journalism, including induction into the Kentucky Journalism Hall of Fame.
Much of her life has been documented in her 1974 autobiography, A Black Woman’s Experience from Schoolhouse to White House.
We don’t know much about her youth, though, at least not until now.
Local author Algie Ray Smith, a retired educator-turned-writer himself, has released his annual book with a local theme. This one is entitled Alice Allison: Determined Girl. The 131-page (large print) biography talks about Alice’s hardships and joys from her preschool years through her graduation from Knob City School as a sophomore in 1923.
As is often the case in his writings, Smith intermingles facts with the fruits of his active imagination. In fact, in his Author’s Note preceding the start of the narrative, he says the contents of the book are a combination of what he learned from reading her autobiography, talking with people who knew her and “some are pure fiction.”
Alice grew up on land in walking distance north of Russellville that had been passed down to her parents, Willie and Lena Pitman Allison. Her slightly older brother Richard was protective of her, but her first realization that it was a man’s world came when he was rude to her when other boys were around, especially one who had caught Alice’s eye, Charles Dunnigan. That her mother and grandmother (Minerva Hardgrave) would take her brother’s side, even when he was wrong, proved to be painful.
Her mother repeatedly told her no boys would be interested in her, and her grandmother spoke despairingly about her light skin tone.
Whenever a boy came near Alice or tried to talk with her, Mrs. Allison would go on the warpath and forbid her to ever see him again. Once she even chastised the principal of Knob City (Professor Nichols) for giving her a ride along with other class members.
Repeatedly in the book, Smith talks about Alice’s determination. The word appears on 10 different pages. Her mother told her as a young children that she was “determined to go against what’s fittin’.”
Alice Allison picked up jobs in her school years, washing people’s clothes and cleaning their homes. She worked so hard that she contracted malaria one summer.
Along the way, she found people who inspired her, including a Sunday School teacher who also taught school named “Miss Arletta,” a physician named Dr. Porter, and local poet B.H. Hardin who had written a poem entitled “Tell the Negro He’s Progressing.” She graduated from Knob City as both class valedictorian and class poet.
The one who helped most, though, was African-American dentist Dr. Russell, who loaned the Allisons enough money for Alice to attend college.
Later, Alice married that same Charles Dunnigan, and her brother Richard became a highly respected member of the Russellville community.
As usual, Algie Ray Smith mixes many Russellville names and businesses in his book. Among them are Ben Settle Jewelry, Gaines Cooksey Grocery, Judge John Edwards, Sheriff Thomas Rhea, Dr. Walter Byrne, Postmaster Edward Coffman Sr., John Guion Sr. Grocery, Rev. Bigbee, Octavia Bigbee, Miss Sissy Merritt’s restaurant, Katie Allison, Ruth Spaulding, Sheriff Stewart, Leedoms, Bernsteins, Logan College and Bethel College.
In his dedication of the book, Smith honors “the memory of the many African Americans who befriended me in my youth.”
Names are Professor William Gilbert, Jim and Jettie Benton, Robert and Novel Bibb, Harry and Trisha Peacock, Rufus Turner, Sam First, Blake Lamb, Stella Perry, Susie Q, Henry Smith, Precious Abshire, Hershel and Junior Woodard, Toe Boy Green, Bodily Todd, Mose Gaines and “Numerous others.
As is the case every Sunday before Thanksgiving, Algie Ray Smith will be at Riley-White Drugs on the Russellville Square during open houses to sell and sign his book. Also Sonny Green, who does the illustrations for the books, will have them at the Christmas in November Craft Show at the Recreation Center. Both are 1-5 p.m. This is the 52nd year for Riley-White to host Christmas Open House.
The books can also be ordered for $10 from Smith at 917 Sunset Lane, Russellville 42276.