C. Delores Tucker
C. DeLores Tucker (née Cynthia DeLores Nottage) (October 4, 1927-October 12, 2005) was a U.S. politician and civil rights activist best known for her participation in the Civil Rights Movement and stance against gangsta rap music.
Cynthia Delores Nottage was born in Philadelphia on Oct. 4, 1927, the 10th of 11 children of a minister and a “Christian feminist mother.” She played the organ and saxophone and directed the choir in church. She attended Temple University, Pennsylvania State University and the University of Pennsylvania.
Mrs. Tucker, who once was the highest-ranking African American woman in Pennsylvania state government, made a spotlight on rap music in the early 90s, calling it “pornographic fifth” and saying it was demeaning and offensive to black women.
She passed out leaflets with lyrics from gangsta rap and urged people to read them aloud. She picketed stores that sold the music, handed out petitions and demanded congressional hearings. She also bought stock in Sony, Time Warner and other companies so she could protest at shareholders meetings.
In 1994, Mrs. Tucker protested when the NAACP, on whose board of trustees she sat, nominated rapper Tupac Shakur for one of its Image Awards.
Rappers called her “narrow-minded.” Some ridiculed her in their lyrics. She was sued by two record companies.
She co-founded in 1984, the National Congress of Black Women. An organization that became the vehicle through which she waged her battle. She succeeded the late congresswoman Shirley Chisholm as national chair in 1992.
Mrs. Tucker had a long history in the civil rights movement and politics. She raised funds for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and joined the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. in marches and demonstrations calling for equality and justice.
In 1951, she married William Tucker, a construction company owner who did well in Philadelphia real estate. She later sold real estate and insurance in Philadelphia.
In the 1960s, after her experiences in the early civil rights movement, she delved deeper into the political arena, working on behalf of black candidates and serving on the Pennsylvania Democratic Committee. She came to be known as a master fundraiser.
In 1971, she was named secretary of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania by then-Gov. Milton Shapp (D), making her the highest-ranking African American woman in state government. However, in 1977, the governor fired her for using state employees to write political speeches for which she was paid.
Political office eluded her. In 1978, she ran for lieutenant governor; in 1980, for the U.S. Senate; and in 1992, for the U.S. House. However, her political involvement continued. She was head of the minority caucus of the Democratic National Committee and a founding member of the National Women’s Political Caucus. She chaired the Black Caucus of the Democratic National Committee for 11 years and spoke at five Democratic conventions.
Mrs. Tucker, the recipient of numerous awards, also founded the District-based Bethune-DuBois Institute to provide educational and training programs for black youths.
Mrs. Tucker passed away in 2005. She is survived by her husband.
via (The Washington Post)
