Henrietta Bell Wells (October 11, 1912 – February 27, 2008) was the first female member of the debate team at historically black Wiley College in Texas. She was born Henrietta Pauline Bell on the banks of Buffalo Bayou in Houston, Texas to a West Indian single mother.
The 1930 Wiley College debate team. Wells is in the center of the front row.
During her year on the team, Wiley beat some of the top historically black colleges including Tuskegee University and Howard University. They also made history by participating in the first college debate between white and African American students in 1930 when they debated students from the Law School at the University of Michigan. Despite the team's success, Ms. Bell was only able to participate on the debate team for one year because financial pressures forced her to work in order to continue her education.[citation needed]
Wells, Wallace L. "Prayerful and Militant", The Living Church 140.3 (1960): 12. Print.
December 17, 2023
henrietta, bell, wells, october, 1912, february, 2008, first, female, member, debate, team, historically, black, wiley, college, texas, born, henrietta, pauline, bell, banks, buffalo, bayou, houston, texas, west, indian, single, mother, 1930, wiley, college, d. Henrietta Bell Wells October 11 1912 February 27 2008 was the first female member of the debate team at historically black Wiley College in Texas She was born Henrietta Pauline Bell on the banks of Buffalo Bayou in Houston Texas to a West Indian single mother The 1930 Wiley College debate team Wells is in the center of the front row During her year on the team Wiley beat some of the top historically black colleges including Tuskegee University and Howard University They also made history by participating in the first college debate between white and African American students in 1930 when they debated students from the Law School at the University of Michigan Despite the team s success Ms Bell was only able to participate on the debate team for one year because financial pressures forced her to work in order to continue her education citation needed Bell married fellow Episcopalian Rev Wallace L Wells and went on to be a social worker and teacher in Gary Indiana Houston Texas Birmingham Alabama and New Orleans Louisiana Their assignment in Gary Indiana included the building of architecturally significant St Augustine s Episcopal Church Gary Indiana Mrs Wells served as the Dean of Women at Dillard University in New Orleans She died 27 February 2008 in Baytown Texas 1 2 The character Samantha Booke in the 2007 movie The Great Debaters played by Jurnee Smollett was loosely based on Wells Wells stated that she had told Denzel Washington who directed the film to also play her team s coach Melvin B Tolson in the film 3 Bell died on February 27 2008 aged 95 and is buried in Paradise North Cemetery in Houston Texas 4 References edit Henrietta Bell Wells a Pioneering Debater Dies at 96 The New York Times March 12 2008 Retrieved April 25 2009 Henrietta Bell Wells 96 was on Great Debate team Boston Globe March 17 2008 retrieved April 25 2009 Henrietta Wells remembers well The Great Debaters she was one of them Episcopal Church 10 January 2008 Daily Episcopalian Archived from the original on 2008 07 31 Retrieved 2012 11 30 Sources edit Ihde Carlton The Battle of Builders Tradition Vs Modern Chicago Daily News November 10 1956 12 Print Dart Susan Edward Dart Architect Evanston Evanston Publishing 1993 Print ISBN 1 879260 09 3 Wells Wallace L Prayerful and Militant The Living Church 140 3 1960 12 Print Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Henrietta Bell Wells amp oldid 1178992282, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
