As we continue our spotlight of 4‑H Grown alumni and sharing the impact 4‑H has had on their lives, we are excited to celebrate a very special 4‑H alumna, Martha Ann Miller, who will be celebrating her 105th birthday on August 6!
Martha Ann Miller is a phenomenal woman who is a strong part of our 4‑H and American history. Through 4‑H, she was named the State Baking Champion at the young age of 14, being the youngest to receive the award in Indiana at the time. As a result, she received a scholarship to Purdue State University, earned a trip to Washington, D.C., and was one of many 4‑H’ers to meet President Calvin Coolidge in 1926.
As an adult, Mrs. Miller became a teacher in Virginia in 1952, where she taught at the first integrated school in the state.
“The principal asked the teachers if we would be willing to teach black students,” she shares in her book, The First Century, And Not Ready for the Rocking Chair Yet. “Some teachers refused. I personally felt it was an insult to be asked this kind of question, and I, of course, volunteered, considering it an honor to have the students in my classroom.”
Martha Ann Miller (right) pictured with President Calvin Coolidge (1926)
