NEA: Luminaries, ATA History, Leaders





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Mary McLeod Bethune, ATA's first woman president

Mary McLeod Bethune
ATA's first female president

Luminaries

Leaders of the American Teachers Association (ATA) were also leaders in the greater education community. Among ATA presidents were founders of academies and colleges, presidents of universities, and people who accomplished "firsts" in education. The six ATA luminaries below represent all of the hard-working visionaries who served the organization during its 62 years—from 1904 until the merger with the National Education Association in 1966.

See ATA Presidents and Annual Meeting Cities for a complete list of ATA presidents (1904-1966).

John Robert Edward Lee J. R. E. Lee (Alabama) was the first person elected president of the organization that would become the ATA. He served for five years, from 1904 to 1908. More	Harper Councill Trenholm H. Councill Trenholm (Alabama) served 21 years as executive secretary of the ATA and one year as its president, in 1932. More

Mary McLeod Bethune Mary McLeod Bethune (Florida) was the first female president of the ATA, elected in 1923. Her work in education and public service spanned nearly 60 years. More	Walter Nathaniel Ridley Walter Nathaniel Ridley (Virginia), the first Black person to graduate from the University of Virginia, served a three-year term as president of the ATA, from 1945 to 1947. More

Mordecai Wyatt Johnson Mordecai Wyatt Johnson (Washington, D.C.), first Black president of Howard University, served as president of the ATA in 1930. More	R. J. Martin R. J. Martin (Georgia) served as ATA president in 1966 and was one of the signers of the NEA-ATA merger. More

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Mary McLeod Bethune ATA's first female president

Luminaries

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Mary McLeod Bethune
ATA's first female president