Jo Ann Allen Boyce: A Legend Among the Historic Clinton 12

Jo Ann Allen Boyce, born on September 15, 1941, in Clinton, Tennessee, was one of twelve African-American teenagers who made history by attending Clinton High School in August 1956, following the groundbreaking U.S. Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of Education. At the age of 14, Boyce faced hostility, threats, and ridicule from white residents as she approached the formerly all-white institution. She vividly recalled feelings of anxiety regarding her reception and noted the varied reactions from her peers—some indifferent, while others exhibited blatant hostility, including verbal taunts and physical confrontations. Despite moments of kindness from a few students and support from a teacher, Mrs. Anderson, the escalating violence led her family to relocate to Los Angeles in December 1956. There, Boyce pursued her aspiration of becoming a pediatric nurse, a career she maintained for thirty years, while also engaging in jazz performances and poetry writing. Her impactful legacy is honored at the Green McAdoo Cultural Center in Clinton, showcasing the enduring significance of courage and resilience in the quest for civil rights.