Martha Lum (1915 - ?)
b. Bolivar County, Mississippi
Gong Lum v. Rice (1927)
Do You Know? Martha Lum was only nine years old when her case went to court.
What: Martha Lum's family sued the Board of Trustees after their daughter was told she could not attend an all-white public school.
Decision: The Supreme Court unanimously ruled in favor of the Board of Trustees, stating that there were colored schools where Martha Lum could attend.
Today: All children regardless of ethinic background are able to attend any school they wish.
(Portrait by Marina Zhou, SFSU 2020)