Thelma Cornelia Davidson Adair (August 29, 1920 – August 21, 2024) was an American educator,

Presbyterian Presbyterianism is a historically Reformed Protestant tradition named for its form of church government by representative assemblies of elders, known as "presbyters". Though other Reformed churches are structurally similar, the word ''Pr ...

church leader, advocate for human rights, peace and justice issues, writer and activist. She was active with

Church Women United Church Women United (CWU) is a national ecumenical Christians, Christian women's movement representing Protestant, Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox Church, Orthodox and other Christian women. Founded in 1941, as the United Council of Church Women ...

, a Christian women's advocacy movement. Davidson Adair was an ordained Elder for the Mount Morris Ascension Presbyterian Church of New York City in Harlem. Adair was the moderator for the 1976 Assembly

United Presbyterian Church in the United States of America The United Presbyterian Church in the United States of America (UPCUSA) was the largest branch of Presbyterianism in the United States from May 28, 1958, to 1983. It was formed by the union of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of Ameri ...

(UPCUSA). She married, in 1940, the Reverend Arthur Eugene Adair, founder and minister of the church from 1943 until his death in 1979. Adair was an advocate for early childhood education and helped to establish Head Start programs in Harlem. She lived in Harlem since 1942 and was professor emeritus of

Queens College Queens College (QC) is a public college in the New York City borough of Queens. Part of the City University of New York system, Queens College occupies an campus primarily located in Flushing. Queens College was established in 1937 and offe ...

, a

CUNY The City University of New York (CUNY, pronounced , ) is the Public university, public university system of Education in New York City, New York City. It is the largest urban university system in the United States, comprising 25 campuses: eleven ...

college.

Early life and education

Adair was born Thelma Cornelia Davidson in 1920 in Iron Station, North Carolina, one of six children. She lived there while in elementary school. Her family subsequently moved to

Kings Mountain, North Carolina Kings Mountain is a small suburb, suburban city within the Charlotte metropolitan area in Cleveland County, North Carolina, Cleveland and Gaston County, North Carolina, Gaston counties, North Carolina, United States. Most of the city is in Clev ...

. She married Reverend Dr. Arthur Eugene Adair and they moved to New York City in 1942. He became a Senior Pastor of Mount Morris United Presbyterian Church (UPC). Adair was an affiliated graduate from

Barber–Scotia College Barber–Scotia College is a Private college, private Higher education accreditation in the United States, unaccredited Historically black colleges and universities, historically black college in Concord, North Carolina. It began as a seminary i ...

(

Concord, North Carolina Concord ( ) is the most populous city in Cabarrus County, North Carolina, United States, and its county seat. The city had a population of 105,240 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Concord is the second-most populous city in the Cha ...

) and

Bennett College Bennett College is a private university, private historically black colleges and universities, historically black liberal arts college, liberal arts Women's colleges in the Southern United States, college for women in Greensboro, North Carolin ...

(

Greensboro, North Carolina Greensboro (; ) is a city in Guilford County, North Carolina, United States, and its county seat. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, its population was 299,035; it was estimated to be 307,381 in 2024. It is the List of municipalitie ...

). She earned a master's degree and Doctorate of Education from

Teachers College, Columbia University Teachers College, Columbia University (TC) is the graduate school of education affiliated with Columbia University, a private research university in New York City. Founded in 1887, Teachers College has been a part of Columbia University since ...

World War II

Like many African Americans and Americans, Adair participated in the

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

efforts at home and abroad. She worked in a war plant. She inspected radar tubes. She was also a young mother at the time. She described her experience:

Career

Adair was an organizer for West Harlem Head Start Programs. In 1944 she was an organizer for Mt. Morris UPC's Project Uplift, a precursor to the Arthur Eugene and Thelma Adair Community Life Center Head Start. The center services more than 250 children throughout various locations in Harlem. Adair has published and written numerous articles on early childhood education. Her publications are authoritative guides for early childhood educators throughout the United States. In 1976, Adair was elected as a

Moderator of the General Assembly The moderator of the General Assembly is the Chair (official), chairperson of a General Assembly (presbyterian church), General Assembly, the highest court of a Presbyterian or Calvinism, Reformed church. Kirk sessions and presbytery (church pol ...

for the Presbyterian Church, the first black woman to attain this role, travelling to 115 countries during her term. She was one of the original founders of Presbyterian Senior Services, and was a participant with the Fellowship of the "Least Coin", a worldwide prayer movement. She was president of Church Women United from 1980 to 1984.

Later life and death

She was honored in 2011 by Congressman

Charles Rangel Charles Bernard Rangel ( ; June 11, 1930 – May 26, 2025) was an American politician who served as United States House of Representatives, U.S. representative for districts in New York City for 46 years. A member of the Democratic Party (Unite ...

. She attended the Selma, Alabama, 50th anniversary of the

Selma to Montgomery marches The Selma to Montgomery marches were three Demonstration (protest), protest marches, held in 1965, along the highway from Selma, Alabama, to the state capital of Montgomery, Alabama, Montgomery. The marches were organized by Nonviolence, nonvi ...

across the

Edmund Pettus Bridge The Edmund Pettus Bridge carries U.S. Route 80 Business (Selma, Alabama), U.S. Route 80 Business (US 80 Bus.) across the Alabama River in Selma, Alabama, United States. Built in 1940, it is named after Edmund Pettus, a former Confeder ...

. Adair died on August 21, 2024, at the age of 103.

Awards

* The Thelma C. Adair Award on Presbyterian Senior Services * Barber-Scotia Alumni Award for Meritorious Service in the Field of Education * Columbia University, Teacher's College Distinguished Alumni Award * United Negro College Fund Distinguished Award for Outstanding Service and Commitment of Higher Education * 1986 Recipient of Women of Faith Award from the Presbyterian Church * 1991 Recipient of National Association of Presbyterian Clergywomen Women of Faith Awards * 2008 Recipient of the Medal of Distinction Barnard College * 2011 recipient of the

Maggie Kuhn Margaret Eliza "Maggie" Kuhn (August 3, 1905 – April 22, 1995) was an Americans, American activist known for founding the Gray Panthers movement, after she was forced to retire from her job at the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, then ...

Presbyterian Church Award

References

External links

Elders' House (The Elders' Gift to the Children)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Adair, Thelma Davidson 1920 births 2024 deaths People from Harlem People from Lincoln County, North Carolina Activists for African-American civil rights African-American centenarians African-American Presbyterians American civil rights activists American women civil rights activists American women's rights activists American Presbyterians Teachers College, Columbia University alumni American education activists American elder rights activists American anti-racism activists American women centenarians 21st-century African-American educators 21st-century American educators 21st-century American women educators 20th-century African-American educators 20th-century African-American women 20th-century American women 20th-century American educators Moderators of the General Assembly of the United Presbyterian Church in the United States of America