Deenie's education in segregation came later in her life, but this did little to dissipate her enthusiasm for abolishing Jim Crow's South. But her individual attempts at combating racism cannot be ignored. Putting herself and her family in danger, she consistently fought segregation, both in Birmingham and beyond. Her belief in the equality of her people went beyond skin color to theories of humanity. Joining women's groups around Alabama, she understood the value of women and the contributions they could make.
Some inconsistencies emerge as their tales are told.
The issue of the Montgomery bus boycott, for example. It is imperative to remember that even though the Montgomery Improvement Association won in the courts, Birmingham's buses were not completely desegregated until 1962, and segregation wasn't outlawed until 1963. The first black police officer wasn't hired until 1966. Segregation, regardless of the court's decisions, still existed in Birmingham through the bus boycott. While the world may have reacted to Emmett Till, Birmingham may not have.