2022 Bristol CC Deaf History Project on: Mary Herring Wright

11/05/2022

Mary Herring Wright graduated from the North Carolina School for Black Deaf and Blind Students in 1941. While she would have liked to continue her education at Gallaudet, the University did not permit black enrollment until 9 years later in 1950.

11/04/2022

It has been almost 5 years since the passing of Mary Herring Wright. Her life bridged incredible generational growth: the Great Depression, WWI and II and many more, the quasi-end to the reign of oralism, the Civil Rights movement and Deaf President Now!, and so much more in only the last few decades since the turn of the century. Few minds have processed so much from such a unique perspective.

Rest in Peace Mary Herring Wright.

10/31/2022

10/30/2022

In a foreword to her book, Mary writes, "My adjustment to hearing loss occurred at a time when I was also experiencing the physical and emotional growing pains that come with adolescence. In addition, the story occurs over a period that covers two major events in American history—the Great Depression and World War II."

With her experience coinciding with such significant nationally and globally recognized crises emphasizes the position she was required to settle into. Her voice continues to sing with positivity despite it all. She surmises her story as such, "My story is one of enduring faith, perseverance, and optimism. I share it in the hopes that it will serve as a source of inspiration for others who are challenged in their own ways by life’s obstacles."

10/30/2022

Mary attended Iron Mine Public School until she lost her hearing. Her education was continued at the North Carolina School for Black Deaf and Blind Students, an experience chronicled in her book "Sounds Like Home: Growing Up Black and Deaf in the South."

10/30/2022

Mary Herring Wright was born in the town of Rockfish, North Carolina, in the year 1924. She was born hearing, eventually losing her hearing at the age of 8. In these early deaf years of her childhood, she found solace with the animals of the farm she lived on with her family.

10/22/2022

This page was created by Trevor Overshiner

Works Cited

“Black ASL Project: Mary Herring Wright's Interview.” Translated by Carolyn McCaskill, YouTube, Gallaudet University Press, 17 May 2019, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zH_zudU034&ab_channel=GallaudetUniversityPress

drupaladmin. “Biography: Mary Herring Wright.” Gallaudet University Library Guide to Deaf Biographies and Index to Deaf Periodicals, Gallaudet University , 22 Mar. 2017, https://liblists.wrlc.org/biographies/54650.

Gallaudet University Press. (n.d.). Sounds like home, 20th anniversary edition. Retrieved October 30, 2022, from https://gupress.gallaudet.edu/sounds-like-home.html

“Mary F. Herring Wright Bio.” Https://Deafwomeninhistory.wordpress.com/, https://deafwomeninhistory.files.wordpress.com/2020/06/mary-herring-wright-bio.pdf.

“Mary Herring Wright 2018 Obituary.” Obituary | Mary Herring Wright | Dunn Funeral Home and Cremation Services, INC, Dunn Funeral Home and Cremation Services, INC, 16 Jan. 2018, https://www.dunnfuneralhomeandcremationservicesinc.com/obituary/4540104.

Sexton, Johnnie. “Mary Herring Wright.” YouTube, Johnnie Sexton, 10 May 2020, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BH0ExmZ1SOM&ab_channel=JohnnieSexton.

Wright, M. H. (2019, August). Excerpts of Sounds Like Home. Gup Digital books. Retrieved October 30, 2022, from https://gallaudetupress.manifoldapp.org/read/6f47af8b-d732-4415-9cd9-8e8921dfd5f2/section/7f2ab3fb-22c9-4a5b-8213-31f3556dab56/resource/b3d1d5ed-872c-4348-a95c-0e04cdc6264f

Wright, Mary H. “Excerpts from Sounds Like Home: Growing Up Black and Deaf in the South.” HeART of Deaf Culture, Gallaudet University, 27 Mar. 2019, https://heartdeaf.com/english-literature/ -ba16158e5ddae1e02e6.

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