Dr. Lula C. Dorsey

L.C. Dorsey was born in 1938 to tenant farmer parents in Tribbett, a small town in the Mississippi Delta. Being raised in the turbulent civil rights era, she dropped out of school in the 11th grade to keep her family safe, and with the help of Fannie Lou Hamer, she became an advocate for Black residents and community involvement in the Delta.

She returned to school when she was 31 years old and obtained her GED, a doctorate degree in social work from Howard University, a master’s degree in social work from State University of New York, and a Certificate in Health Systems Management from Johns Hopkins University.

She was one of the first Mississippians to obtain a master’s degree in her field.

Her legacy includes improving the health and well-being of Mississippi’s disadvantaged and disenfranchised populations by fiercely advocating for civil rights, voting rights, human rights, prisoner rights, and improving health initiatives. Dr. Dorsey’s work contributed to the founding of Mississippi’s Office of Economic Opportunity, the improvement of the Mid-Delta Head Start Program, and the Operation Help program that assisted those in need with job opportunities.

She served on President Jimmy Carter’s National Council for Economic Opportunity and became an author informing the world about the injustice at Parchman prison in Mississippi.

Dr. Dorsey spent her life helping underserved populations in Mississippi with activism, medical care, and social services. Dr. Dorsey was recognized as Educator of the Year in 2005 at Mississippi Valley State University and later became a Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. She inspired the future generation of students to focus on improving the environment of those suffering from negative social conditions.

Dr. Dorsey passed away in 2013 and left behind six children and the gifts of humanity that are documented through her stories.