(1900 – 1970)
She began life in Lumpkin, Georgia, on May 2, 1900, but Lucy Mae Upshaw was destined to spend her last forty-eight years in the sister state of Alabama. She gained her higher education at Tuskegee Institute, where the philosophy of Extension intrigued her.
Having benefited from the knowledge and experience acquired at Tuskegee, Miss Upshaw made the decision to share these with others. The best vehicle for achieving this goal was through the newly evolving Alabama Extension program. Alabama Extension was still young when she joined the effort as Home Demonstration Agent in Madison County. For ten years, from 1926 to 1936, Lucy Mae Upshaw worked to establish programs and promote better domestic practices with the people of Madison County.
In 1936, Miss Upshaw transferred to Dallas County, where she worked for thirty years until her retirement in 1966. The last four years of her life were spent in Selma, where she continued her service to Alabama through community, church, and civic activities.
Her hard work and devotion to the task of spreading knowledge won Miss Upshaw a special place in the hearts of hundreds of Alabamians. In recognition of the long years of service, the name Lucy Mae Upshaw is inscribed on the dedicatory plaque of the Extension Memorial Chapel.
Chapel Plaque Inscription Number: 175
