By virtue of the collective wisdom of generations of people who positioned me to serve my community, I have given my best in hopes of improving the lives of others. I continue this sharing spirit such that my story may serve as a foundation for what you wish to achieve and offer it as an example that you can materialize what your heart imagines.
With all that I share just know it was only through the grace of God that any of it was possible.
Praise God from whom all blessings flow.
- Mrs. Doris Ross Reddick
Born into a family of educators, Tampa native Doris Ross Reddick considered herself a product of and passionate advocate for the Hillsborough County School System. She graduated from George S. Middleton Senior High, Bethune-Cookman College and the University of South Florida (USF).
She began her teaching career as a substitute teacher at Simmons, one of the Strawberry Schools of Plant City, in 1947 and later as a full time teacher at Dunbar, Meacham and College Hill Elementary Schools. During a stint in the northeast she integrated George Washington Elementary in the Kingston New York public school system by becoming their first Black teacher in the school’s history. She returned to Tampa some years later and rejoined the Hillsborough County School System as a resource teacher. After two years she served as a Reading Specialist at Carver Elementary. She later became the first Black Learning Specialist/Assistant Principal in the county working at Thonotosassa Elementary School. She was appointed as an Educational Diagnostician with the Model Cities Educational Component of the County System and later as a Curriculum Coordinator for Early Childhood Learning Centers. Also during her career she taught adult evening classes at Blake, lectured at Hillsborough Community College and USF, was a USF Criminal Justice Department special research project interviewer, trained Head Start teachers and was a member of the planning team for the first Hillsborough County public school Head Start and kindergarten programs.
SCHOOL BOARD SERVICE
In 1992 Reddick was elected to the Hillsborough County School Board becoming the first Black woman to hold that position and two years later was unanimously elected as chair and the first Black woman to serve in that capacity. She became the voice for children and minority businesses and under her leadership annual minority business allocations rose from a meager $1,084 to millions of dollars in needed support. She served three terms totaling twelve years and retired in 2004.
AUTHORSHIP
To help bridge the gap between white teachers and their students during integration, she co-authored the language communication study, “Let’s Cross Over the Wall” with the help of her dear friend and former Jackson Heights Elementary principal Mrs. Altamese Simmons. Her second published book was another collaboration, this time with her daughter Clemmie C. Perry. Together they co-authored “Introduction to Word Processing – Using Theology to Teach Technology,” a publication that offers a bible based approach to introducing technology by highlighting parallel concepts.
RETIREMENT & HUMANITARIAN ACTIVITIES
Mrs. Reddick retired from the Hillsborough County School System in 1980 after a full and rewarding career. She kept her mind and skills sharp by developing curricula for St. Paul United Methodist Church’s “ROA’s Arch” program and continued to stay sharp by exploring education, politics and health. She and her beloved husband Harold Reddick immersed themselves into ten years of church humanitarian projects, traveling and Elder Hostel lifelong learning.
FAITH
With all of this said, Mrs. Reddick knows that it was only through the grace of God that any of it was possible. Supporting her on her spiritual journey were Allen Temple AME, Mt Olive AME, St. Paul United Methodist Church and Hyde Park United Methodist Church.
Biography
Her story reveals how one person with a soft voice and a firm hand can indeed make a difference. This book is as an example that you can materialize whatever dream your heart can imagine.
